AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

March 31, 2026

Asterisk Talley

Quick Quotes

Q. Asterisk, it's so much fun getting to see you twice a year at Sage Valley a few weeks ago, now here at the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Do you think being out here, having done this so many times, it's about getting some breathing room on champions going into Augusta National so you can maybe afford some of those misses?

ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah, definitely. I mean, of course it's going to be great to get as much cushion as possible going into Augusta National, and I think everyone who's kind of like a first-timer definitely just tries to make the cut because everyone wants to have that final round on Saturday. And I think that's obviously all of our mini goals this week is to obviously get that final round, final competitive round, of course. But I think, yeah, it would be great to have some cushion going into Augusta and obviously just trying to play our best two rounds here for sure.

Q. Finishing runner-up last year and having that Saturday charge at Augusta National, one, what was that like and, two, just kind of what do you need to do this year to make sure you're not playing from behind on Saturday?

ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah. I mean, it was definitely just kind of having fun last year on the final round, because after the first round last year, you know, I didn't think I was going to really have a charge that last day. I was just kind of trying to make the cut on the second day, and I ended up shooting a pretty good round.

But I think just kind of trying not to have that much of a charge the last day. I was only two back. But just trying to have some fun out there, and I think just kind of being on the top of the leaderboard would be a good feeling going into Saturday.

Q. And we saw in some media reports that Miles Russell, the other Sage Valley champion this year, was going to be on your big this week. Is that still true or is your caddie different this week?

ASTERISK TALLEY: He actually got into the Korn Ferry event this week. So I have a family friend on the bag. But I'm super happy for Miles that he got into that this week.

But, yeah, it'll still be a lot of fun. Same caddie as last year, so hopefully we have a similar result hopefully up it a little bit this year.

Q. How did that go about with you and Miles? And obviously he has the event now, but what was that like? Did you ask him and he wanted to? What was that process like?

ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah. I asked him specifically, like, a couple months ago, and he was super excited about it. We were ready to have a lot of fun.

I mean, obviously he was a little bummed, too, that he couldn't be here this week, but I mean, still both super fun weeks for us, and I think we're both really excited to get going this week.

Q. For you, what does it mean, your third time now competing? You're still so young. What's it like competing against all these college girls that are top ranked in the field and just playing in such a fun week?

ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah. It's really fun just to kind of see everybody that I don't get to see very often because I'm usually playing junior events. But it's really nice to put my game up against some older girls and just people who have a little more experience than me. And I think it's super fun just to get my game on all levels like kind of worked out.

Q. I know we talked last month obviously, you being runner-up, it's kind of a little bit of a chip on your shoulder. How do you kind of approach this tournament? Like what kind of fuels you?

ASTERISK TALLEY: I think just kind of the course kind of gives us all a little motivation to play well, and I think them being both really tough, I think, kind of gives us that little extra drive, especially this course, obviously, not being Augusta National, but it also being pretty much just as hard. I mean, a lot of people kind of give this course not as much recognition just because it's not Augusta National, but I think it's still just as hard, and it's still very tough for us to kind of get those first two days going. It's a good test going into Augusta, and I think that really gives us some motivation to play well going into that last day.

Q. You said you were obviously pretty confident in your game and where you're at right now but how do you kind of mentally approach these next couple of days?

ASTERISK TALLEY: I think just kind of staying in the shot. I mean, it can be really easy to kind of get ahead of yourself, especially with some hard or easy holes coming up after the certain hole that you're on. And I think just kind of staying in the present is going to really help trying to hit that shot that you're supposed to hit for that moment.

Q. I want to talk a little bit today you and your family talked on the back nine earlier in the rounds. What were you guys seeing out there today that will get you ready for tomorrow?

ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah. I think just like the greens are pretty receptive out here, which I think makes it a little bit easier.

Yeah, the course is the same as it's always been, and I mean, it's nice to have that little course knowledge coming into this week. And I mean, it's kind of been an easier week just knowing that I've been here a couple of times, and I don't really have to look for a lot now that I've seen it a couple of times, but it's still going to be a lot of fun.

Q. Asterisk, is there anything mentally or physically in your game that you kind of have to leave behind here at Champions whenever you do make the cut and make it into Saturday and go play a completely different golf course?

ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah. I think it's kind of different just leaving all the game plan behind. After the first two days, you kind of -- when you're coming into Champions, you kind of think of -- you think of the course and like what shot you're going to hit, but then you kind of have to just throw it all in the trash, and it's kind of different when you totally step on a new course and you don't have a couple days' experience on it before you step on it. So I think it's really different just kind of playing a whole different course, but it's kind of what makes this tournament unique.

Q. What does it mean to you to get to play in an event like this?

ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah. It means everything. Just not only the courses, but I think just the field, too. It's just kind of what makes this event so special is just obviously everyone here is so good and you're especially just trying to win. And if you get that title under your belt, it makes you feel pretty good.

Q. It's hard to pick, but what's something you're most looking forward to for this week? What's your favorite thing that you're most looking forward to?

ASTERISK TALLEY: Definitely the final round. I mean, you know, you have to look forward to making the cut out here at Champions, and then you kind of just look forward to the competitiveness at Augusta. I mean, Friday is super fun just getting to play, but I mean, Saturday is the day that you really look forward to.