Anna Davis, one of the brightest young stars in women’s amateur golf, is ready to make her mark on the grandest stage of collegiate competition. The 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion will tee it up this week at the NCAA Championship, adding another milestone to a career that has already captured national attention before she even entered college. With an elegant swing, cool demeanor, and a resume that keeps growing, Davis now faces the test that every collegiate golfer dreams of—playing for a national title against the best players in the country.
The left-handed sensation, who turned heads as a 16-year-old with a bucket hat and an unshakable calm at Augusta National, enters the NCAA Championship representing Auburn University with the same swagger and poise that made her a household name in amateur golf circles. Though still a teenager, Davis brings a level of competitive maturity and experience that defies her age. Now, she has a chance to help deliver Auburn its first team national championship in women’s golf, while also pursuing individual honors that could further cement her legacy as one of the sport’s future stars.
Davis has been on a steady climb since arriving on the collegiate scene, choosing Auburn over a host of other powerhouse programs. Her decision was rooted in relationships—especially with head coach Melissa Luellen—and in her belief that Auburn would provide a unique balance of competition and support. The choice has paid off. Davis has thrived in the SEC, regularly contending in tournaments, anchoring her team’s lineup, and developing a well-rounded game that has added new levels of consistency and polish.
Coming into the NCAA Championship, Davis has already posted several top-10 finishes during the season and played a crucial role in helping Auburn qualify for nationals through the grueling NCAA Regionals. Her performance throughout the year has made her one of the key players to watch at this week’s championship at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California—a course that favors creativity and course management, two areas where Davis excels.
The journey to this point has been anything but typical for Davis. Her breakout moment came in 2022 when she won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in dramatic fashion, rallying in the final round to edge out a stacked field that included several future LPGA stars. That win didn’t just put her on the map—it launched her into the stratosphere. Davis was suddenly being mentioned alongside legends of the game, with comparisons to prodigies like Lydia Ko and Michelle Wie. She handled the attention with remarkable grace, choosing to remain amateur, focus on her game, and delay turning professional in favor of honing her skills at the college level.
That decision is paying off. Davis’s time at Auburn has allowed her to grow both as a golfer and as a leader. Teammates and coaches describe her as a quiet but powerful presence, someone who leads by example rather than by words. She’s the type of player who shows up early, stays late, and never lets a bad round shake her. That mental toughness, combined with her silky swing and deadly short game, has made her a force to be reckoned with throughout the college golf season.
As she steps onto the course this week at La Costa, Davis will carry the hopes of not just her team but of a fanbase eager to see another big-time performance. Auburn has been steadily climbing the national rankings and is considered a dark horse to make a deep run at the championship. Much of that optimism stems from the presence of Davis at the top of the lineup. In a tournament where the margin for error is razor-thin, having a player with her big-stage experience could be the difference between contending and going home early.
For Davis, though, the focus is simple—play her game, stay in the moment, and trust the work she’s put in. She has always been someone who thrives under pressure, often saving her best golf for the most important rounds. Her coach, Luellen, has often said that Davis has the rare ability to “make hard look easy,” a compliment that speaks to both her physical skill and her ability to stay calm in chaos. That poise will be essential in a championship where windy conditions, tricky greens, and elite competition will test every facet of a player’s game.
Davis’s preparation for the championship has been meticulous. In the weeks leading up to nationals, she spent extra hours on the practice green, dialed in her yardages, and fine-tuned her putting stroke—all in pursuit of peak performance when it matters most. She’s aware of the expectations and the spotlight that comes with being one of the game’s most recognizable young names, but she doesn’t let it change her approach. “Golf is still golf,” she said recently. “It doesn’t matter how big the stage is. You just have to stay in your zone.”
That mindset is part of what makes her so dangerous in a championship setting. Davis has an uncanny ability to compartmentalize, to block out distractions and focus only on the next shot. It’s a trait that’s helped her perform on some of golf’s biggest stages—Augusta, the U.S. Women’s Open, and now the NCAA Championship. Her ability to simplify the game, especially under pressure, is a quality that few players her age possess.
But Davis isn’t just playing for herself. She’s quick to credit her teammates and coaches for pushing her to be better, and she sees the NCAA Championship as a chance to reward that collective effort. “We’ve all worked so hard to get to this point,” she said. “To be able to compete together at nationals, to have this experience as a team—it’s something I’ll never forget. I want to play my best for them.”
That team-first attitude has endeared her to the Auburn faithful, who have embraced her as one of their own. While Davis could have easily chosen to turn professional or go to a more traditionally dominant golf school, her commitment to Auburn and the collegiate experience has only deepened the admiration around her. She represents not just talent, but also a kind of humility and work ethic that coaches dream about.
As the first tee shot approaches, the nerves will be there, but Davis will welcome them. She’s no stranger to pressure. Whether it was closing out her win at Augusta, playing in the final group at major amateur tournaments, or anchoring her team in regionals, Davis has consistently proven that she has what it takes to rise to the occasion. And at La Costa, she’ll be aiming to do it again—this time, with a national title on the line.
The road ahead won’t be easy. The NCAA Championship brings together the best teams and players in the country, all of whom are capable of catching fire and going low. But in a field stacked with future LPGA stars and seasoned veterans of college golf, Davis stands out not just for her accolades, but for the sense that she’s only scratching the surface of her potential. She’s a player with the game, the mindset, and the motivation to do something special this week.
Her performance at La Costa could have implications beyond just college golf. With the LPGA Tour on the horizon, the NCAA Championship offers a chance for Davis to make one more big statement before taking the next step in her career. A strong showing could reaffirm her place among the elite in women’s amateur golf and set the stage for a future that seems increasingly bright. But for now, Davis isn’t thinking about what comes next. Her eyes are locked in on the moment, on the fairways and greens of La Costa, and on helping her team chase history.
In a sport where success often comes down to timing, Anna Davis has shown a knack for shining when the spotlight is brightest. As the NCAA Championship gets underway, she’ll have another opportunity to add to her growing legend—and perhaps inspire a new generation of young golfers who dream of following in her footsteps. Whether she lifts the trophy or not, one thing is clear: Anna Davis has already arrived. Now, she’s ready to show the world what’s next.