(4/6/25)
For the fifth straight year, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur came down to the very end. Carla Bernat Escuder in her third attempt at the Championship, was victorious by one stroke over Asterisk Talley.
Carla Bernat Escuder, from Spain, is a college golfer at Kansas State University. Bernat Escuder played at Tulane for her first two years of college and was very good for the Green Wave before transferring. She’s been nominated to the All-American teams twice and is putting together her most successful year of college thus far. Through 29 rounds of play, she averages exactly 70 per round, with six top 5’s and 8 top 10’s.
At the ANWA, Bernat Escuder was steady and never waivered. She fired three 68s this week to finish at 204, 12-under par. Bernat Escuder showcased her phenomenal play on 13 when she was on a side slope. The ball was above her feet, and she blasted a hybrid over Rae’s Creek to reach the par 5 green in two. She made birdie there and on the other par 5 on the second nine, 15. A bogey on 17 made her lead drop to just one shot, but Carla played the 18th hole magnificently. Finding the fairway off the tee, hit her second shot a little long, but her birdie putt had spectacular touch to give her a short par putt for the win. After her playing partner knocked in her putt, Bernat Escuder drained it dead center to win by one shot.
Asterisk Talley, a 16-year-old, in her second appearance at the ANWA, had a memorable start to her final round. On her second shot on the first hole, she holed out for a rare eagle two. In the 88 Masters, only five eagles have been made on the first hole. Talley had back-to-back bogeys on five and six but quickly recovered with birdies on the seventh and eighth holes. After seven straight pars, Talley stepped up to the famous 16th hole and birdied it to get to 10-under par. On the 17th, she pulled her drive left into the trees. Facing a small window of opportunity, Talley punched her shot through the trees, onto the green, and found herself pin high. The 16-year-old hit a shot some professionals, male or female, wouldn’t be able to hit in a practice round, let alone under the pressure of trying to mount a miraculous comeback. Of course, she calmly drained the birdie like it was no big deal, for one of the best birdies Augusta National will see this month. Talley couldn’t rattle three birdies in a row but showed again she’s a star in the making. Last year, she finished T-8. This year, she finished solo second. Remember her name because odds are, we will be talking about Asterisk Talley for quite some time.
Defending ANWA Champion, Lottie Woad struggled in the final round. Last year, she birdied three of the last four holes to stage a fantastic comeback of her own. This year, she shot an even-par 72 in the final round to finish three shots back at 9-under. Woad shot 1-under on the front nine, but on the 10th hole, hit her approach over the green and had to take an unplayable lie. She doubled the hole but rallied on the 13th and 14th holes with birdies. However, she couldn’t take advantage of 15 and parred that, and followed up with a bogey on 16 to all but take herself out of contention. Woad plays her college golf at Florida State, and also has an effulgent future ahead of her.
The Augusta National Women’s Amateur is quickly becoming a must-watch event. For three of the last five years, the title was decided on the final hole, while the other two Championships in that stretch, were decided in a playoff. It’s a coveted event for female amateur golfers and is only gaining momentum. It’s a great way to start Masters week, and perhaps this thrilling finish is a harbinger of what’s to come when the men give it a go this week.
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