It was an hour before her first-ever round at the Augusta National Golf Club — the hallowed and historic course she’d for so long dreamed of playing — and her shuttle from the hotel was late.

She’d known for weeks she’d have a “Holy sh-t” moment when she finally got here and now Auburn redshirt sophomore Casey Weidenfeld was in a bit of a rush. She’d only slept for a part of Thursday night into Friday morning. She didn’t say she was nervous, but she hadn’t forgotten the moment.

The players at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur are staying at a hotel just across the Savannah River into South Carolina. It’s only about a three-mile bus ride from there to Augusta National, but Weidenfeld’s tee time was at 8 a.m. and by that point it was about 7. She’d planned to take in the moments when she’d finally arrive on these grounds she’d grown up seeing on TV.

But TV doesn’t tell the whole story.

Weidenfeld walked to Augusta’s first tee with the sun still rising and dew coating the ground. It’s quiet. The crowds aren’t allowed in on this day — it’s a practice round before the third and final round Saturday. The roars of the Masters are coming next week.

Fifty weekends of the year where there are no major tournaments here, this is the normal. No patrons to create a natural separation from hole to hole but just a peaceful, quiet, open expanse up and down the hills of an iconic course. The sound of chirping birds met their footsteps and the sound of golf ball against club.

And there was Weidenfeld. The first group to tee off. Her moment in the quiet to realize and take in just what she was doing and where she was. To briefly be a golf fan in the midst of a golfer.

“It was a bit surreal to finally get out here and play,” Weidenfeld said. “Especially after wanting to play for so long.”

Weidenfeld hit her drive and began the walk. Walking in the footsteps of her memories of the famous names who’d come before her.

There’s so much history here. To look at each green, each hill, each green-painted curb, each perfectly-white bunker and visualize the moments that made legends in these parts. That’s what a golf course like this represents. It’s why thousands of golfers dream to play here. It’s why Weidenfeld was so giddy to be one of the select few who actually get to live that out.

“There were some spots I got a little fan-girly,” Weidenfeld said.

She said she tried to treat this round as the practice round it was. Weidenfeld was the only Auburn golfer to make the cut into Saturday’s final round. With an even par overall score for the tournament, Weidenfeld is five shots back of leader Lottie Woad, from Florida State. Auburn’s Anna Davis missed the cut by one shot after receiving a one-shot penalty for slow play and teammate Megan Schofill struggled on Thursday, missing the cut after shooting a 7-over-par 79.

But it’s hard to treat a round here as a practice round.

“I think just getting out here in general was like, ‘Woah, we’re at Augusta National. Here we are,’” Weidenfeld said.

Weidenfeld said she felt like a fan hitting her second shot onto the 11th green — her entry into Amen Corner. She felt like a fan hitting her tee shot onto the famous 12th hole — her ball landing on the fringe of the green about 12 feet from the hole. She made a par. She felt like a fan hitting her tee shot on the 18th and walking up the fairway between the holly, oak and pine trees.

“Just some shots you really see a lot on TV,” Weidenfeld said.

She’ll remember her tee shot on the par-3 6th hole, sticking the ball about two feet from the pin and making a tap-in birdie.

Weidenfeld has seen this course in Masters’ past to know the bends enough from afar. After she played 18 holes, she shook the hands of groupmates before walking over to play Augusta’s par-3 course.

Friday let her, at last, analyze the grounds herself and enjoy being here before checking off another goal tomorrow.

This practice round was goal number one. Tomorrow, she’ll play a competitive round — goal number two. The next goal is to shoot an even par round or better, Weidenfeld said. In her first-ever time competing here, that would be fulfilling.

“I just want to have fun out here tomorrow,” Weidenfeld said. “I want to enjoy the views.”

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]