How a borrowed putter propelled Olivia Mehaffey into contention at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur

AUGUSTA, Ga. — A few months ago, Olivia Mehaffey felt uncomfortable over the ball, so she did what any golfer would and decided to order a new putter to see if she could get her feel back.

Mehaffey, a four-time All-American at Arizona State by way of Belfast, Northern Ireland, was ready to replace her Scotty Cameron Phantom X 7 putter with a different mallet putter, but before she pressed the “complete order” button, her swing coach stopped her.

“Can you order two putters?” asked the coach, Jorge Parada. “Can you order a blade and can you order what you want to order?”

“Why do you want me to use the blade?” Mehaffey shot back. 

Working together since the 2020 ANA Inspiration, Mehaffey has much trust in the man who has her game in such good form that she’s just one stroke off the lead at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur with one round to play. So she decided to trust him yet again and order both putters. 

In a funny twist of fate, however, Mehaffey’s blade didn’t arrive before she left for the ANWA, but she loved the feel of a blade putter so much that she borrowed Arizona State men’s golf teammate Blake Wagoner’s putter — a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 — and can’t bring herself to give it back.

“I just started putting with it, and I loved it,” Mehaffey said. 

Putters

Her comfort on the greens showed as she carded a three-under 69 during Thursday’s second round at Champions Retreat, one of the few under-par rounds of the day. 

When asked who would get to keep the putter should she win, Mehaffey said “[Blake] wants to switch with me. He wants the new one, but I’m like, ‘I want the new one!'”

She might change her mind if she finds herself hoisting the trophy at Augusta National come Saturday afternoon.

Mehaffey’s length off the tee and touch on the greens could be exactly what she needs to catch the leaders and become the first Irish golfer to win at Augusta National.

Mehaffey will tee off at 10:10 a.m. in the penultimate pairing Saturday. Final round action will air from 12-3 p.m. on NBC.