Amateur invitations

improved putting, “it’s hopefully going to lead to a special year.”

Four women from the top 11 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings have accepted invitations to play in the LPGA Tour’s first major of the year, the ANA Inspiration.

That typically was an easy decision, but that was before the creation of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which will be held the same week (April 4- 7). The 30 women who make the cut will play the final round at Augusta National on the Saturday before the Masters.

Frida Kinhult of Sweden (No. 2 in the amateur ranking), Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand (No. 3), Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland (No. 6) and American teenager Rachel Heck (No. 11) chose the ANA Inspiration. A final spot has been reserved for the winner of the ANA Junior Inspiration, to be played the week before.

“I am so excited, and I can’t wait to get to Rancho Mirage,” the 17-year-old Heck said. “This major has so much history, and I am honored to be following in the footsteps of my role models who played in ANA Inspiration on amateur invites.”

The Augusta National Women’s Amateur has six of the top 10 in the amateur ranking, including top-ranked Jennifer Kupcho. in the world ranking, his first time out of the top 20 since the end of his first year as a professional in 2013. ... Gary Nicklaus, the 50-year-old son of Jack Nicklaus, received a sponsor exemption to make his PGA Tour Champions debut this week at the Oasis Championship in South Florida.