OOLTEWAH, Tenn. (AP) — Golden State teenager Asterisk Talley secured her most significant triumph to date on Sunday, dominating Japan’s Anna Iwanaga with an 8-and-6 performance to capture the U.S. Women’s Amateur title.
At just 17 years old, Talley claimed her second USGA championship before finishing her high school education. Her resume already includes a victory in the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball, a remarkable year where she additionally placed second in both the U.S. Women’s Amateur and the U.S. Junior Girls.
Once she established her momentum at The Honors Course, there was simply no catching her.
Iwanaga, who had co-led the field as co-medalist in the 36-hole stroke-play portion, claimed the ninth hole during the morning round to establish a 1-up advantage. However, that proved to be her final winning hole of the day.
Talley pulled even by carding a birdie on the 11th, followed by consecutive birdies on the next two holes to take control of the contest. Exiting the morning’s 18 holes with a 3-up lead, Talley secured the initial hole of the afternoon session and pushed her advantage to 7-up after chipping in for an spectacular eagle on the par-five 11th—representing the 29th hole of the match. A comfortable two-putt par on the reachable 12th hole sealed her emphatic victory.
“My plan was to start fast and maintain that intensity going into the afternoon session,” Talley remarked. “I wanted to prevent her from closing the gap. Keeping mistakes to a minimum, I only carded a single bogey today.”
Previously, Talley finished second at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2025, and she remained a strong contender for the crown this season at the iconic home of the Masters until a costly quadruple-bogey 7 on the par-three 12th derailed her hopes.
Following her high school graduation, she is slated to join the Stanford golf team next season.
“This is the perfect way to wrap up my time as an amateur,” she reflected on the historic tournament, first played in 1895. “Winning this is an incredible achievement. It definitely ranks at the very top of my accomplishments.”
With this triumph, Talley secures a spot in the upcoming U.S. Women’s Open, set to take place at Ohio’s Inverness Club.
