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DU golfer puts dreams of Augusta on hold

Freshman golfer Anna Zanusso returned home to Venice, Italy when the NCAA golf season and Augusta National Women's Amateur were canceled.

VENICE, Italy — This is definitely a different April than DU golfer Anna Zanusso imagined.

"Italy is still locked down so I'm not able to practice or go out, so I'm just spending the entire month here at home."

The freshman returned home to Venice in mid-March once the NCAA season had abruptly ended. Zanusso self-quarantined for 14 days, and now is abiding by the country's strict lock-down laws, only leaving the house one family member at a time for groceries.

This is a far-cry from the first week of April she had imagined at the beginning of the season.

"The first week of college, I was talking with my teammates and I said, I have a goal to play Augusta next year," she said. "The month of January was tough. I was waiting for the invitation and also not sure if I would be able to play. Then when they called me, I was practicing with my team and so we started screaming. It was the best moment in the last year."

That includes the moment she tied an NCAA record of 61 in the second round at the Westbrook Invitational in late February. 

Although the tournament has been fully canceled and not postponed like the men's tournament, the invite for the Augusta National Women's Amateur is still on the table for next year. With advice from the inaugural champion and Colorado-native Jennifer Kupcho, Zanusso is working on her short game the only way she can -- in her yard.

"I just put some bucket on my garden and tried to get points and points. Also, I'm able to hit a few shots," she said. "A cool thing with the team, we're doing team meetings every week to check in with all of the girls and still working on the mental aspect of our game."

When she looks back on her initial season in Denver, she's able to see a two-time Summit League golfer of the month (September and February), an average of 71.63, which is the lowest in the Summit League and new program single-season record, and of course her personal best accomplishment of the invitation.

"I know that we didn't have the right end of the season, but it was always a good season. We had played in so many good tournaments so I would still consider it a good season."

Zanusso is accepting the NCAA's red-shirt year for all spring sport athletes who had to put their seasons on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. She will compete in the 2020-21 season as a freshman once again.

RELATED: On this day in sports: Jennifer Kupcho wins inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur

RELATED: Masters golf tournament postponed due to coronavirus

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