AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 4, 2026

Maria Jose Marin

Butler Cabin interview with Chairman Fred S. Ridley and Mike Tirico

FRED RIDLEY: You played consistent golf all week. I think you were the only player in the field to shoot in the 60s all three rounds. Can you tell us if there was a key to your strong play this week?

MARIA JOSÉ MARIN: I think the key to the strong play this week was the great strategy that I planned along with my coach, Jorge. We talked it out a lot. This is my fourth year playing in the tournament, and I think I have pretty good knowledge of what both courses are. So yeah, just a plan for it.

For the round today, it was more of a mental strategy because there was going to be a lot of pressure. But I think that helped, along with my golf.

FRED RIDLEY: Maria, you are the first champion at Augusta National from Colombia. Can you tell us what was going through your mind when you made that final putt and what it means to you to represent your home country of Colombia?

MARIA JOSÉ MARIN: Representing Colombia is always going to be the greatest pride that I can have. I've been doing it for a long, long time now, since I was 12, and yeah, just knowing that I have their full support and there's a lot of people watching me back home, it just makes my heart warm, and just want to say thank you to everyone that's watching me. This just means the world to me.

MIKE TIRICO: Speaking of a lot of people supporting you, Marisa Fassi, so many people from the Arkansas golf family, your family, your 10-year-old brother. What was it like to see all of those people after you holed the putt on 18?

MARIA JOSÉ MARIN: I think walking up 18, I pictured it in my mind, what it was going to be the moment like. Having Maria there, she inspired me so, so much when she played with Jennifer Kupcho, and I think I've said it a lot of times, but that was truly inspiring for me, and yeah, just to get it done in front of them, yeah, it's great.

It's my coach's birthday today, so I think it's a pretty good birthday present for her.