California teenager Asterisk Talley secured her biggest victory Sunday, winning the U.S. Women's Amateur with an 8-and-6 victory over Anna Iwanaga of Japan at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee.
It is Talley's second USGA title before high school graduation. She previously won the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball in 2024 — the same year she finished runner-up in both the U.S. Women's Amateur and the U.S. Junior Girls.
Iwanaga, who shared medalist honors in the 36-hole qualifying, took an early lead and was 1-up after winning the ninth hole in the morning round.
Talley quickly turned it around. She squared the match with a birdie on the 11th hole, then birdied the next two holes to take a lead she never gave back. She finished the morning 18 holes 3-up.
The afternoon was more of the same. Talley won the first hole to extend her lead, then chipped in for an eagle on the par-5 11th — the 29th hole of the 36-hole match — to go 7-up. She closed out the match on the 12th hole with a two-putt par.
"I knew I had to come out strong and then come out strong in the afternoon match," Talley said. "I didn't want it to get too close. I only had one bogey, so I was eliminating mistakes out there."
The win follows a runner-up finish at the 2025 Augusta National Women's Amateur, where Talley contended for the title until a quadruple-bogey 7 on the par-3 12th hole.
Talley has committed to play college golf at Stanford University after graduating high school. Her U.S. Women's Amateur title earns her entry into next year's U.S. Women's Open at Inverness Club in Ohio.
"This completes my amateur career," Talley said. "This is one of the biggest events to ever win. This is going to be top of my list."
