Why Asterisk Talley has 'less pressure' playing LPGA event than last time she played El Cab

USA Today

16-04-2025

Why Asterisk Talley has 'less pressure' playing LPGA event than last time she played El Cab
Asterisk Talley will have more energy this week at El Caballero Country Club than the last time she teed it up there.
Last summer, Talley made the final of the U.S. Golf Association's U.S. Girls' Junior, falling to Rianne Malixi in the 36-hole final. In addition to two rounds of stroke play, Talley played seven rounds of match play, and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, there were two matches per day, with the championship taking place on Saturday.
In total, the now-16-year-old Talley played 154 holes of golf that week, significantly less than she will at this week's LPGA JM Eagle LA Championship.
"Definitely tiring at the U.S. Girls', getting to play like 11 rounds in a week," Talley said of her experience that week. "But it's always fun playing here. Such a great course, and I'm excited to be here again and have a little less pressure, not playing 36 in a day or anything."
A professional event providing less pressure than a junior one may seem crazy to most amateurs, but not to Talley.
She was also a finalist at the U.S. Women's Amateur three weeks after her runner-up finish at the Girls' Junior, again falling to Malixi in the final. She won the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball earlier in the summer and the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley.
As if her resume wasn't impressive enough, Talley tied low am honors at the U.S. Women's Open and was on the U.S. Curtis Cup team, topping world No. 1 amateur Lottie Woad in Sunday Singles.
And two weeks ago, she finished runner-up at the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Now, she's in the field at the LA Championship on a sponsor exemption, taking Malixi's spot after she was forced to withdraw from a back injury that also saw her pull out of ANWA.
"It's great to get more experience; super grateful for the invite and getting to play here again," Talley said. "I love playing here. This is a great course. It's good to have some course knowledge, experience here. It's just great to have just a drive down to this event and get another start under my belt."
Talley, whose first name means "little star" in Greek, has become one of the brightest stars in amateur golf in recent years. At ANWA, she talked about her interest in playing college golf, and every single team in the country will try to recruit Talley, but she has plenty of time before then and now.
Her confidence stands out on the golf course. Even last year when she was breaking onto the scene, she had the mental maturity of a savvy veteran, and she constantly finds her way to the top of leaderboards, whether she's playing an LPGA event or amongst the best amateurs in the world.
"I think I'm pretty confident coming off a couple of good tournaments this year already and just knowing I've played events like this before and I've done well enough to compete with these players," Talley said. "I just try to treat every tournament the same and not put one above the other or anything."
In addition to playing the LA Championship this week, Talley is one of eight amateurs in the field next week at the first women's major championship of the year, the Chevron Championship in The Woodlands, Texas.
Talley is becoming a frequent face and name at the biggest events in women's golf. Don't expect that to change anytime soon.
"Just knowing that I've got more comfortable with these types of players, that even in amateur golf there is players that are better than like what people think I am," Talley said. "People think that I don't measure up, I think, to people that are here and in other amateur events.
"I think I'm trying to prove my game every week to show how good I am in my eyes and how in other people's eyes as well. I just think it's great to get experience and to prove myself and build my confidence in these events and bring that with me to other events I play in in the future."