At the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, a singular competitor has navigated the opening two rounds entirely free of bogeys, securing the undisputed lead. Asterisk Talley, a 17-year-old, demonstrated impeccable play over 36 holes at Champions Retreat, recording scores of 66 and 67 for an overall total of 11 strokes under par. This performance grants her a narrow one-shot advantage ahead of Sweden’s Meja Örtengren and Colombia’s Maria Jose Marin.
The Augusta National Women’s Amateur competition is set to recommence on Saturday; participants who met or surpassed the 1-under par cutline will utilize Friday for a practice session at the distinguished Augusta National Golf Club, which is designated to host the championship’s concluding round.
Talley’s aggregate score of 133, standing at 11 strokes under par, falls short by two strokes of the 36-hole record for the ANWA, which Rose Zhang established in 2023. This marks her third time participating in the tournament, occurring merely a year after she secured the runner-up position, trailing Carla Bernat Escuder by merely one shot.
During the previous year’s championship, Talley achieved a final-round score of 68 at Augusta National, concluding the event (coincidentally) at 11 under par. Remarkably, she has not recorded a bogey in her most recent 48 holes within this specific tournament, a streak extending back to the 2025 competition.
“My performance has been quite satisfactory,” Talley remarked. “While I experienced a slightly sluggish period during both of my rounds, I believe such moments are essential in this setting—a phase of simply enduring—and I managed that today. I successfully converted a few crucial pars, and although there were moments I didn’t capitalize on, I have no reason to lament achieving two rounds without a bogey.”
Commencing her second round, Talley trailed Marin and Korea’s Soomin Oh by a single stroke, yet she rapidly closed the gap. Successive birdies on the first three holes propelled her standings towards the leading positions, a place she maintained for the duration of Thursday afternoon.
She recorded ten consecutive pars on her score-sheet, then seized the opportunity at the par-5 14th, making a birdie for the second time in a row on that hole. This was promptly followed by another birdie on the subsequent hole, elevating her aggregate score to 11 strokes under par and establishing a single-stroke lead going into the championship’s last round.
“My initial focus is on my own expectations, as I believe I possess the most intimate understanding of my golfing capabilities,” Talley stated. “While it’s simpler to articulate than to execute, the process of largely disregarding external influences allows one to enter a state of complete concentration on the course, which, I find, aids in addressing each shot individually and dismissing any outside distractions.”
The trio of Talley, Örtengren, and Marin appears poised for a compelling contest at Augusta National, with Andrea Revuelta and Avery Weed sharing fourth place, trailing Talley by five strokes at 6 under par. Irrespective of how the competitors adjust their standings on Saturday, Talley will draw significant attention, having been considered a leading contender at the outset of the week and now aiming to redeem herself after narrowly missing victory in the previous year.
“Evidently, my objective was to secure the championship,” Talley commented. “My intention is to deliver my finest golf performance when I arrive at Augusta. I am eagerly anticipating Saturday, determined to elevate my play on this occasion.”
2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur leaderboard
1. Asterisk Talley (-11)
T2. Meja Örtengren, Maria Jose Marin (-10)
T4. Andrea Revuelta, Avery Weed (-6)
T6. Eight players (-5)
T14. Kiara Romero and five others (-4)
T19. Five players (-3)
T24. Anna Davis and four others (-2)
T29. Four players (-1)
