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30 CAVALIER CORNER cavalier profile ANNA REDDING Fourth-Year • Golf Virginia fourth-year Anna Redding will be teeing it up at the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club in April at Augusta, Ga. Redding — who was No. 41 overall and No. 16 among U.S. players in the World Amateur Golf Rankings as of Jan. 21 — has a golden opportunity to move up on the list because she was invited to play in the inaugural Augusta National Women's Ama- teur Tournament. All 72 competitors will play their first 36 holes April 3 and 4 at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans, Ga., before playing a prac- tice round at Augusta April 5. On April 6, the top 30 and ties from the first two rounds will play the final round at Augusta National. "It is going to be absolutely stunning to play it in April, the week before the Masters, and see these top pros walking the grounds," an ecstatic Redding said. "It will be in perfect condi- tion and so well run." Because this is the first women's event hosted at Augusta Na- tional, the prospects of playing there exceed Redding's wildest dreams. "When you're first starting to play as a female golfer, it's a dream," said Redding, who plans to turn pro after her final sea- son in Charlottesville. "It's surreal. For a tournament to be there is a massive step for women's golf." Redding, who led UVA with a 72.17 stroke average in four fall tournaments, first took up golf when she "was about 10 or 11" due to the influence of her grandparents in Florida. "When I came home, I told my parents I wanted to play, and they said go for it," Redding said. "I got a set of clubs and joined my middle school team. "My dad [Mark] helped me. I love to compete. I played basket- ball and volleyball before I latched onto golf." Redding credits a great deal of her success to the William C. Eacho Women's Golf Scholarship Endowment she received at the 2017 Hoos Choice Awards. "It's incredibly special to know that the scholarship I received is endowed," she said. "The Eacho family has given me the op- portunity to play golf. Without this scholarship, I wouldn't here." — Mike Scandura Photo by Matt Riley/courtesy UVA