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Asterisk Talley has accomplished so much in her amateur golf career, but what she did Sunday will no doubt be the defining moment on her resume.
Her first name means little star in Greek, but she’s living up to being a big star. She was dominant in winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur, 8 and 6, over Japan’s Anna Iwanaga. Talley, the No. 1-ranked junior golfer and eighth-ranked amateur in the world, knocked off the top seed Iwanaga at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn.
“It pretty much completes my amateur career,” Talley said. “It’s one of the biggest events to win. It’s going to be at the top of my list from now on.”
The 17-year-old will take the trophy back to Chowchilla, Calif., with her dad James, who caddied for her on the long, grueling week. They shared an emotional hug after the victory and raised the trophy together.
In April, James and his wife Brandii were hugging and comforting their daughter after she squandered a lead and lost the Augusta National Women’s Amateur on the back nine at Augusta National. She was in tears as she spoke to media about that heartbreak. That was four months ago. Now the hugs were made of joy.
“You’re learning from every experience. I’ve always told myself that every loss was a chance to learn,” Talley said. “I’m glad I was able to clinch it. There was a lot of learning getting second all the time. I was able to show people I don’t get second all the time, and I got the trophy.”
Talley was on the winning U.S. Curtis Cup team at Bel-Air Country Club in June, a week after she finished T-22 at the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club, both in her home state. She played in three majors this year, making the cut at the Chevron Championship.
In 2024, Talley was runner-up at both the U.S. Girls’ Junior and the U.S. Women’s Amateur. But this time she left no room for an Iwanaga comeback. She had nine birdies and an eagle in the championship match.
“Just the power of God,” Talley said. “He was with me through the whole championship. I knew I had to come out strong and get it done. I didn’t want it to get close at the end.”
It didn’t. She won on the 12th hole of The Honors Course after she had a big lead all day. Her signature moment was chipping in on the seventh hole from the fringe to go 7 up. She punctuated it with a fist bump, too.
Talley also weathered an hour-plus weather suspension, as players had to do all week with thunderstorms stopping matches every day.
“It does get challenging to have a rhythm when you’re stopping and going back and forth,” Talley said. “Not to get too far ahead of ourselves. I know my dad needed a little break at times.”
When she made the final par putt to win, her dad leaned over and put his hands on his knees—a mix of relief and emotion. He hadn’t been on the bag for his daughter in about five years.
“It was part of the plan. I don’t regularly caddie,” Jim Talley said. “I figure it’s a major for an amateur. If I can be on the bag and do something big, that would be something special for the both of us.”
Colin Hubbard
Asked what she’ll get her father/caddie for the win, Asterisk said the win is the gift. Her dad had to train hard for these days with 36 holes. He lost some weight and took a page out of Asterisk’s diet and workout regimes.
“He got in shape for sure,” Asterisk said. “He hasn’t caddied since I was under 12 so it’s been six years-ish since he touched the bag other than a couple of rounds here and there. I said, ‘if you really want to caddie, it’s going to be 36 holes. Four rounds of 36 and you’ll have to tough it out and Tennessee is going to be really hot.’ The breaks helped and mentally he was thinking about the end goal.”
Talley joins JoAnne Carner, Juli Inkster, Morgan Pressel and Lydia Ko among other big names to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur.
The victory comes with a lot of perks, as well. She gets an exemption into the 2027 U.S. Women’s Open, a spot in the 2027 ANWA and exemptions into these three majors: the Chevron Championship, AIG Women’s British Open and Amundi Evian Championship among other things. Also, she just picked up another two points in the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP), giving her 13 of the 20 she needs to earn an LPGA card.
“It’s just an event everyone wants to win,” Talley said. “It has the strongest field. It’s something everyone has on the top of their list. It’s always been a dream of mine to win and now that dream has come true.”
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Her first name means little star in Greek, but she’s living up to being a big star. She was dominant in winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur, 8 and 6, over Japan’s Anna Iwanaga. Talley, the No. 1-ranked junior golfer and eighth-ranked amateur in the world, knocked off the top seed Iwanaga at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn.
“It pretty much completes my amateur career,” Talley said. “It’s one of the biggest events to win. It’s going to be at the top of my list from now on.”
The 17-year-old will take the trophy back to Chowchilla, Calif., with her dad James, who caddied for her on the long, grueling week. They shared an emotional hug after the victory and raised the trophy together.
In April, James and his wife Brandii were hugging and comforting their daughter after she squandered a lead and lost the Augusta National Women’s Amateur on the back nine at Augusta National. She was in tears as she spoke to media about that heartbreak. That was four months ago. Now the hugs were made of joy.
“You’re learning from every experience. I’ve always told myself that every loss was a chance to learn,” Talley said. “I’m glad I was able to clinch it. There was a lot of learning getting second all the time. I was able to show people I don’t get second all the time, and I got the trophy.”
Talley was on the winning U.S. Curtis Cup team at Bel-Air Country Club in June, a week after she finished T-22 at the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club, both in her home state. She played in three majors this year, making the cut at the Chevron Championship.
In 2024, Talley was runner-up at both the U.S. Girls’ Junior and the U.S. Women’s Amateur. But this time she left no room for an Iwanaga comeback. She had nine birdies and an eagle in the championship match.
“Just the power of God,” Talley said. “He was with me through the whole championship. I knew I had to come out strong and get it done. I didn’t want it to get close at the end.”
It didn’t. She won on the 12th hole of The Honors Course after she had a big lead all day. Her signature moment was chipping in on the seventh hole from the fringe to go 7 up. She punctuated it with a fist bump, too.
Talley also weathered an hour-plus weather suspension, as players had to do all week with thunderstorms stopping matches every day.
“It does get challenging to have a rhythm when you’re stopping and going back and forth,” Talley said. “Not to get too far ahead of ourselves. I know my dad needed a little break at times.”
When she made the final par putt to win, her dad leaned over and put his hands on his knees—a mix of relief and emotion. He hadn’t been on the bag for his daughter in about five years.
“It was part of the plan. I don’t regularly caddie,” Jim Talley said. “I figure it’s a major for an amateur. If I can be on the bag and do something big, that would be something special for the both of us.”
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Colin Hubbard
Asked what she’ll get her father/caddie for the win, Asterisk said the win is the gift. Her dad had to train hard for these days with 36 holes. He lost some weight and took a page out of Asterisk’s diet and workout regimes.
“He got in shape for sure,” Asterisk said. “He hasn’t caddied since I was under 12 so it’s been six years-ish since he touched the bag other than a couple of rounds here and there. I said, ‘if you really want to caddie, it’s going to be 36 holes. Four rounds of 36 and you’ll have to tough it out and Tennessee is going to be really hot.’ The breaks helped and mentally he was thinking about the end goal.”
Talley joins JoAnne Carner, Juli Inkster, Morgan Pressel and Lydia Ko among other big names to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur.
The victory comes with a lot of perks, as well. She gets an exemption into the 2027 U.S. Women’s Open, a spot in the 2027 ANWA and exemptions into these three majors: the Chevron Championship, AIG Women’s British Open and Amundi Evian Championship among other things. Also, she just picked up another two points in the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP), giving her 13 of the 20 she needs to earn an LPGA card.
“It’s just an event everyone wants to win,” Talley said. “It has the strongest field. It’s something everyone has on the top of their list. It’s always been a dream of mine to win and now that dream has come true.”
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