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<\/p>\n[Photo: Colin Hubbard]<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Her first name means little star in Greek, but she\u2019s living up to being a big star. She was dominant in winning the US Women\u2019s Amateur, 8 and 6, over Japan\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt pretty much completes my amateur career,\u201d Talley said. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the biggest events to win. It\u2019s going to be at the top of my list from now on.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 17-year-old will take the trophy back to Chowchilla, Calif., with her dad James, who caddied for her on the long, gruelling week. They shared an emotional hug after the victory and raised the trophy together.<\/p>\n
In April, James and his wife Brandii were hugging and comforting their daughter after she squandered a lead and lost the Augusta National Women\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re learning from every experience. I\u2019ve always told myself that every loss was a chance to learn,\u201d Talley said. \u201cI\u2019m 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\u2019t get second all the time, and I got the trophy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Talley was on the winning US Curtis Cup team at Bel-Air Country Club in June, a week after she finished T-22 at the US Women\u2019s Open at Riviera Country Club, both in her home state. She played in three majors this year, making the cut at the Chevron Championship.<\/p>\n
In 2024, Talley was runner-up at both the US Girls\u2019 Junior and the US Women\u2019s Amateur. But this time she left no room for an Iwanaga comeback. She had nine birdies and an eagle in the championship match.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust the power of God,\u201d Talley said. \u201cHe was with me through the whole championship. I knew I had to come out strong and get it done. I didn\u2019t want it to get close at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t. 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.<\/p>\n
Talley also weathered an hour-plus weather suspension, as players had to do all week with thunderstorms stopping matches every day.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt does get challenging to have a rhythm when you\u2019re stopping and going back and forth,\u201d Talley said. \u201cNot to get too far ahead of ourselves. I know my dad needed a little break at times.\u201d<\/p>\n
When she made the final par putt to win, her dad leaned over and put his hands on his knees\u2014a mix of relief and emotion. He hadn\u2019t been on the bag for his daughter in about five years.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was part of the plan. I don\u2019t regularly caddie,\u201d Jim Talley said. \u201cI figure it\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
[Photo: Colin Hubbard]<\/p>\n
Asked what she\u2019ll 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\u2019s diet and workout regimes.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe got in shape for sure,\u201d Asterisk said. \u201cHe hasn\u2019t caddied since I was under 12 so it\u2019s been six years-ish since he touched the bag other than a couple of rounds here and there. I said, \u2018if you really want to caddie, it\u2019s going to be 36 holes. Four rounds of 36 and you\u2019ll have to tough it out and Tennessee is going to be really hot.\u2019 The breaks helped and mentally he was thinking about the end goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Talley joins JoAnne Carner, Juli Inkster, Morgan Pressel and Lydia Ko among other big names to win the US Women\u2019s Amateur.<\/p>\n