Asterisk Talley Leads 2026 ANWA Before Final Round at Augusta National

The 17-year-old is bogey-free through two rounds and holds a one-shot lead over a pair of international stars.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 8:40pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a golfer's swing and the action of a golf tournament, with sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the dynamic motion and competition of the event.The final round of the prestigious Augusta National Women's Amateur will see a trio of international stars battle for the championship trophy.Augusta Today

Asterisk Talley, a 17-year-old American, holds the 36-hole lead at the 2026 Augusta National Women's Amateur after posting rounds of 66-67 at Champions Retreat to reach 11-under par. Talley, who finished runner-up in last year's event, leads by one stroke over Meja Örtengren of Sweden and Maria Jose Marin of Colombia. The final round will take place on Saturday at Augusta National Golf Club.

Why it matters

The Augusta National Women's Amateur has quickly become one of the most prestigious events in women's golf, with the final round taking place at the iconic Augusta National course. Talley's strong performance puts her in position to potentially win her first major championship, while Örtengren and Marin will look to claim the title and make history as international champions.

The details

Talley, playing in her third ANWA, has been flawless through 36 holes, making no bogeys. Her 11-under 133 total is just two strokes shy of the 36-hole scoring record set by Rose Zhang in 2023. Talley started the second round one shot off the lead but quickly made up ground with birdies on the first three holes. She added two more birdies on the back nine to take a one-shot advantage into the final round.

  • Talley finished runner-up in the 2025 ANWA.
  • The final round of the 2026 ANWA will take place on Saturday, April 5, 2026 at Augusta National Golf Club.

The players

Asterisk Talley

A 17-year-old American golfer playing in her third Augusta National Women's Amateur. She finished runner-up in the 2025 edition of the event.

Meja Örtengren

A Swedish golfer who is tied for second place, one shot behind Talley, heading into the final round.

Maria Jose Marin

A Colombian golfer who is also tied for second place, one shot behind Talley, heading into the final round.

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What they’re saying

“It's been pretty good. I've had a little bit of a slow stretch on both of my rounds, but I think that's kind of what you need here just a little stretch of survival and I think I had that today. I made a couple good pars out there, some missed opportunities, but can't complain about two bogey-free rounds.”

— Asterisk Talley

“I try to put my expectations first because I feel like I know my game the best. I think just kind of blocking out everyone else it's easier said than done, but you kind of just get in the zone when you're on the course and I think that kind of helps with just taking one shot at a time and not worrying about outside noise.”

— Asterisk Talley

What’s next

The final round of the 2026 Augusta National Women's Amateur will take place on Saturday, April 5, 2026 at Augusta National Golf Club.

The takeaway

Asterisk Talley's strong performance through the first two rounds of the 2026 ANWA has set up a potentially thrilling final round showdown at the iconic Augusta National course. The 17-year-old American will look to claim her first major championship title, while international stars Meja Örtengren and Maria Jose Marin will try to spoil her plans and make history of their own.