AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 1, 2025

Isabella McCauley

Quick Quotes

Q. You mentioned first time here in Augusta. First impressions of Champions Retreat and the championship overall?

ISABELLA McCAULEY: Yeah, it's just incredible here. I think one thing that was cool about the Drive, Chip & Putt that I noticed is everything Augusta does is just to another level, so I knew that coming into ANWA it's going to still meet that same level of expectation.

Coming out here, it hasn't disappointed me. It's just incredible, everything from just the volunteers, the people being out here, the course itself. It's unreal. It's an exciting experience.

Q. First-time competitor. How do you calm the nerves and get ready for the next couple days of golf?

ISABELLA McCAULEY: Yeah, I think one thing about it, being a first-time competitor, I'm really just soaking in this whole experience. This is kind of the No. 1 goal in college golf is to make ANWA and be here and be a part of really making history in this women's event.

I think part of calming the nerves is really just enjoying myself and remembering to soak in the whole experience, and good play is secondary. If I play great, it's just a cherry on top.

Q. Who do you have with you this week?

ISABELLA McCAULEY: Yeah, so both my parents are here. My sister is coming in tomorrow, my head coach. Then I have some extended family, some uncles and my grandpa who are coming in for the tournament day. It's been fun having them and just all the camaraderie has been amazing.

Q. Of course we talked about DCP, so you've been to Augusta National. You've played there. Can you take us through that experience in 2017-2018 and how that probably prepared you for this week?

ISABELLA McCAULEY: Yeah, totally. Well, Augusta was incredible for the Drive, Chip & Putt. That was just such an amazing event, especially just for a kid to have that kind of experience. That momentum going forward into your junior golf and hopefully collegiate golf career was just so fun for me. It was super fun, and to be able to do it two years in a row was great.

They treated us so well. We had the welcome banquet and just all events for the kids. It just made it so fun, so enjoyable.

Obviously when ANWA came about, actually it was funny because I vividly remember being out there in 2018 wondering if there would be a women's event in my playing career out here, and then in 2019 when ANWA came about, it immediately became my No. 1 goal to make it.

To be here is just unreal.

Q. For the girls competing this weekend in DCP on Sunday, what's your advice to them now that you're in these shoes?

ISABELLA McCAULEY: Oh, my gosh, just soak in the whole experience, and being at Augusta itself is just amazing. You'll probably get an opportunity to meet maybe some pros who are out there Sunday practicing, then obviously Monday for the practice round. Really just enjoy it, soak in being on the grounds and everything.

It really is just a-once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you're lucky; there's lots of adults who would love to be in your shoes, so enjoy it.

Q. Is there a certain shot from either of those two DCPs for you that still sticks with you?

ISABELLA McCAULEY: You know, not really. I think just -- like I honestly can't even remember a lot of the exact shots that happened because it was so long ago, but really just the whole experience of being there was amazing, and I think one of the coolest parts was really just the Monday practice round and also just all of the kids being there and I had a lot of friends that were in it. Just the whole experience of being with the kids but then also out at the practice round watching professionals. It was so fun because you were able to get a glimpse of hopefully what you're aspiring to one day, and the pros were just so incredibly kind to us and really encouraging, so that was fun.

Q. For you to make the cut and make Augusta National, the round on Saturday, what's going to have to go well? What are you focusing on here at Champions?

ISABELLA McCAULEY: Yeah, Champions is tough. It's definitely a player's golf course, and I think one of the biggest things is really just around the greens. I think it's a little bit different than Midwest golf for sure, and a lot of the other courses I've been playing this spring. Really just figuring out the greens and the slopes is definitely tricky, so getting on the right side of those I think is going to be key, but hopefully we can put a couple good rounds together and make it there on Saturday.