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NBC Sports
05-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
One wrong club and near misses cost Lottie Woad a chance at Augusta National Women's Am repeat
AUGUSTA, Ga. – What we remember in defeat here are the calamitous moments, the shots that are too bold and others too timid, the splashes and the trickles and the flubs. But Augusta National doesn't just test a player's power and touch and discipline. It's also a measure of stone-cold precision. So it was that Lottie Woad stood in the middle of the 10th fairway, eying up her approach into the downhill green as she tried to chase down another Augusta National Women's Amateur title. The 21-year-old Englishwoman has enjoyed a banner season, and it all began here a year ago. Though she was ranked No. 4 in the world, Woad lacked a significant title against the game's best at this level. That changed that magical day last April when she survived a few early stumbles to birdie three of the last four holes and win arguably the most prestigious women's amateur event in the world. Woad's life changed that day – more obligations, expectation, recognizability. But so, too, did her career. An ascension to world No. 1. Major starts. A victorious Curtis Cup appearance. And during her day job in college golf, with the latest class off to the pros, she was the new targeted player to beat. All she's done since is finish inside the top 3 in every event she's played for Florida State. 'This week is definitely different to last year,' Woad said earlier this week in Augusta, 'coming in with bigger expectations and stuff like that. But I'd be very proud of how I dealt with that if I could manage to win it.' As she learned last year in victory, Woad's opening round at Champions Retreat could set the tone for the week. She recorded an opening 65 to sit two shots back, then played solidly enough in Round 2 to grab a share of the 36-hole lead and earn her way back into the final group. An opening birdie Saturday helped give her a two-shot cushion, but it was clear from the outset she wasn't completely dialed. She bricked a short birdie putt on the second. She missed the green on the par-3 sixth and made bogey. And as she stepped into her shot on 10, she hadn't just been caught but passed by Spaniard Carla Bernat Escuder, a senior transfer at Kansas State who has enjoyed college success but lacked any big-game bona fides. Golf Channel Staff, On 10, Woad was between clubs, a 5- and 6-iron, and opted for more club into the wind to get all the way to the back hole location. That turned out to be a mistake. Taking a lower-lofted club off the downslope, her approach came in too flat, landing pin-high and without backspin, hopping over the back, rolling down the steep slope and coming to rest in a bush. 'I put a good swing on it, it was just the wrong club,' said Woad, who had her English team coach, Steve Robinson, on the bag. 'Then got in an unfortunate position, so probably was always going to make 6 from there.' The double bogey dropped her three shots back and in a need of a second-nine scramble. Of course, Woad knew from own experience it was possible – her final flourish last year included birdies on 15, 17 and 18 – and the leaderboard told a similar story, with four scores in the 60s already posted. 'At that point there was nothing to lose,' she said. 'Just said, 'Let's make some birdies,' and that was really it.' Sure enough, Woad began to mount a comeback. She lipped out an eagle chip on 13 and then stuffed her approach into 14 to pull within two shots of Bernat Escuder, but her final hour proved to be anticlimactic. Woad failed to get up-and-down from the bunker on 15 and settled for par, then one-armed her tee shot on 16 and made bogey to, officially, end her chances, much to the dismay of her cheering squad of coaches and Florida State teammates who followed along with every shot. 'I'm pretty frustrated,' Woad said afterward. 'Played decent tee to green, just didn't hole really any putts, and that's what it came down to in the end.' And there it was again, those margins, the thin lines between success and failure that, somehow, seem even thinner at Augusta. There were countless examples late. The bunker shot on 15 that repelled away from the flag instead of climbing the ridge. The shot from the sand on 16 that somehow stayed on the top shelf. The approach on 17 that was inches away from catching the slope and funneling toward the hole. It added up to a final-round 72, a solo-third finish and a disappointing slog up the hill to the patrons waiting around the 18th green. 'I think you learn every time you're in contention – it's just putting yourself in those positions, really,' she said. 'You can't win every time. The goal coming into it was just to be in contention. So got that, and, yeah, it was a pretty good defense in the end.' It just ended a few holes earlier than expected.
USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ANWA runner-up Asterisk Talley has talent for LPGA right now, but she wants college golf
ANWA runner-up Asterisk Talley has talent for LPGA right now, but she wants college golf AUGUSTA, Ga. — Asterisk Talley didn't see the ball drop when she holed out for eagle on the opening hole of Augusta National Golf Club. But the crowd told the story. The 16-year-old raised both hands to the sky in a rare outward celebration. 'Even as her dad I can't tell if she's happy or sad,' said her father, James, earlier in the week at Champions Retreat. 'You don't see her out there fist-pumping. I was like, was that good or was it bad? I don't know. It's always on the same plane.' California's Talley, whose name means 'little star' in Greek, came up one stroke shy in her second Augusta National Women's Amateur despite birdies on two of the last three holes. A winner at the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball and a finalist in two USGA championships last year – U.S. Women's Amateur and U.S. Girls' Junior – she's been awfully close to a Rose Zhang-like resume at an even younger age. LPGA and World Golf Hall of Famer member Beth Daniel captained Talley at last year's Junior Solheim Cup and called her talent off the charts. 'She has an unbelievable amount of drive to win,' said Daniel, "and you don't see that in a lot of players. That comes along every once in a while.' Talley has the game to compete on the LPGA right now. She has the length, level-headedness and willingness to learn and work that's required to be successful at the next level. A year ago, she came to Augusta and told the press that her goal was to get to the pro ranks as quickly as possible. 'To be the No. 1,' she said. Now, after she's had even more national success and exposure, she's singing a different tune. She wants to go to college. 'I think it's going to be a great experience for me,' said Talley, after a closing 68 in her second ANWA appearance. 'I think it would give me a chance to have a team all the time. I love team play, and I love that environment, and I think it's going to give me a great experience.' Talley took down World No. 1 Lottie Woad in singles play at the Curtis Cup last summer and helped lead Team USA to victory at the Junior Solheim. Her father reports she loves school and carries a 4.3 GPA. While many of her peers do school online, Talley goes to class five days a week from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Chowchilla High School. She has friends who have no idea what she does when she travels. Talley might be mature beyond her years inside the ropes, but she's just a normal 16-year-old in her everyday life. While many in the field at the Sage Valley Invitational stayed on in Georgia for an extra week before the ANWA, Talley flew back to California in between events to get to class. At last year's U.S. Women's Open at Lancaster Country Club, Talley found herself in contention early in the week after rounds of 70 and 71 and was an immediate media darling. 'When she gave that great interview at the U.S. Open that everyone loved, I'm being serious, I don't know that kid,' her father deadpanned. 'I pick her up from school and try to get information from her – if it isn't a yes or no answer she can give back, I get zero.' James, a correction officer who's been on a steep learning curve of late, said he only learned about the World Amateur Golf Ranking about eight months ago. He gets peppered with questions about Asterisk's future and likes the idea of her going to college, pointing to the route Zhang took of going for at least a couple years. 'I don't think any hurt can come from it,' said James. 'If she wants to go hit the tour, it's always going to be there, but college is not.' People used to tell Zhang college golf would ruin her. She hated that. 'I wanted to push myself to the limit,' she said on the eve of her 2023 Augusta National Women's Amateur victory. A small number of LPGA stars won on the tour as teenagers – Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Lexi Thompson, Lydia Ko, Ariya Jutanugarn, Brooke Henderson. Talley's trajectory is on a similar path. It's possible she could win at the next level before she even steps foot inside a college classroom but, as of now, she has options. There's an independence, a sense of self that's developed in college that can't be found on tour amidst an entourage that always includes parents. Michelle Wie West famously turned pro and then went back to college to find it. Talley said she hasn't a clue how much she's grown in the past year, but her father said she's shot up 4 inches in eight months. She may not have won at Augusta National, but there's no question to those paying attention that she's the next big thing.
USA Today
03-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
College golf's No. 1 player among those to miss cut at Augusta National Women's Amateur
College golf's No. 1 player among those to miss cut at Augusta National Women's Amateur EVANS, Ga. — Florida State coach Amy Bond had never seen Mirabel Ting have a two-way miss until the first round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Ting, one of the best ball-strikers in the country and the hottest player in college golf, didn't have a clue what was going wrong in her opening 76. 'Yesterday I just wasn't able to accept what happened with my irons, and I keep asking myself why, why, why. Why do I have these kind of shots? And why and why. The more whys I have, the worse it gets,' she said. 'I just tried to play with what I have today, and it was exactly the same. Nothing really changed, but I just stopped asking myself why.' The relief of Ting's second-round 4-under 68 was written on her face. It wasn't enough to make the cut at Champions Retreat, but college golf's No. 1 player could leave feeling good about the effort. 'We just have to focus on what's in front of me,' said Ting, who finished at even par for the tournament to miss the cut by one. 'Hopefully, me and my team will get a ring on our fingers at the end of the season, yeah.' Thirty-two players made the cut at Champions Retreat, which fell at 1 under. Those 32 will tee it up in the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur on Saturday at Augusta National Golf Club. The entire field will play a practice round at the iconic venue Friday. Ting finished in the top 10 at last year's ANWA and wanted to get into the top 5 this year. Her teammate, Lottie Woad, won the title last year and goes into the final round in a share of the lead at 9 under with Oregon's Kiara Romero. 'Especially looking back at my season, I have 5 out of the 6 wins,' said Ting. 'I came into this tournament with a lot of expectations. I think that is one of the biggest mistakes I've made. I shouldn't have put so much pressure on myself and expect so much in this event.' USC's Bailey Shoemaker, who shot 66 in the final round of last year's ANWA to finish second to Woad, missed the cut this week after two consecutive rounds of 74. Rachel Heck, the former Stanford star who hadn't played in a tournament since she led the Cardinal to a national title last May, will head back to her day job in private equity and her role as a public affairs officer in the Air Force Reserve after rounds of 75-73. Former ANWA champion Tsubasa Kajitani, who briefly gave up the game and moved back to Japan to take a job with Callaway, shot 80-85 to finish last. Kajitani plans to head to Japan LPGA Q-School later this year.
USA Today
03-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kiara Romero races to ANWA lead, 'happiest she has ever been' with sister Kaleiya on the bag
Kiara Romero races to ANWA lead, 'happiest she has ever been' with sister Kaleiya on the bag Show Caption Hide Caption ANWA contendor Kiara Romero on her mental fortitude ANWA contender Kiara Romero credits a strengthened mental approach for helping her game this year. Kiara Romero has a decision to make. The 19-year-old University of Oregon sophomore birdied her last three holes on Thursday at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans, Georgia, to take the lead heading into the final round of the 2025 Augusta National Women's Amateur. She shares the lead with Lottie Woad, the top-ranked amateur in the world and defending ANWA champion, and the duo will comprise the final pairing in Saturday's final round. But who's going to caddie for Romero at Augusta National Golf Club? She can either: 1) Keep her sister, Kaleiya, on the bag come Saturday, or ...2) Go with a local caddie. In the past, some players have used a local caddie while others have kept family or coaches. "I'm thinking about having my sister stay on the bag, but we're just going to go out tomorrow, have a local caddie and her kind of walk with me throughout it," Romero said. "I'll just go from there." It's a good decision to have to make. Kaleiya graduated from Pepperdine last year and joined Oregon's staff this season as a graduate assistant. She's getting her Master's and plans to go to Q-School down the road, as well. In the meantime, Kaleiya has been able to watch her sister this season become one of college golf's best, and now Romero is 18 holes away from the biggest win of her career with her sister by her side. "I feel like this week I've been like the happiest I've ever been on the course," Romero said. "I feel like, if you see me last year making a double, I'm definitely not happy. I'm definitely not looking around smiling at anyone. "Today was a lot different. I kind of was really proud of myself for the way I handled it and kind of moved on from it." Romero's round started quickly, making birdie on the par-4 10th, her opening hole. Romero, who's ranked fifth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and NCAA golf ranking, added birdies on Nos. 14, 18 and 3 and was 4 under through 12 holes in her round before going double bogey-bogey on Nos. 4-5 and, at the time, falling three shots behind Woad. Last year, Romero shot 71 in the opening round but said she let her mind wander after a stellar 9-hole start. She started chasing the tournament and thought ahead to Saturday at Augusta National when she had plenty of golf left in front of her at Champions Retreat. She felt like she shot herself out of the tournament. This year was different. She wasn't freaking out after the two poor holes. She collected herself and finished with three straight birdies to sign for 4-under 68, good for a 9-under 135 total. "I feel like I have a lot more control over the mental side of it," Romero said. "I feel like that kind of shows the way my game has matured from last year. "I just kind of kept playing my game and sticking to the game plan and give myself good opportunities." Woad, who is looking to become the first player to win multiple ANWA titles – and go back-to-back – shot 2-under 70 after an opening 65 and will likely be the favorite heading into Saturday's final round. Megha Ganne, Carla Bernat Escuder and Andrea Revuelta are all in the mix, too, sitting a shot back and T-3. But Romero hopes Saturday is her chance to shine. She won the 2023 U.S. Girls' Junior and had a strong freshman year at Oregon. She has been more consistent as a sophomore but hasn't picked up any wins yet, instead placing runner-up four times this season. But the final round could be her chance to break through, and she could do it with Kaleiya by her side. "She started golf before me, and I just kind of copied everything she did," Romero said of her older sister. "That was one of the things I just fell into because of her. "I think playing with both of my siblings growing up kind of taught me how to compete. It kind of taught me how to love competing and love this sport a lot. I've learned a lot from them, so I look up to them a lot." Whether Kaleiya is on the bag or outside the ropes following along, Romero is prepared for a battle in big thanks to her sister's guidance, both on the course this week and in the 19 years leading up to the biggest final round of Romero's life on Saturday.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Megha Ganne sets record with a 63 to lead Lottie Woad at Augusta Women's Amateur
EVANS, Ga. (AP) — Megha Ganne set the Augusta National Women's Amateur record on Wednesday with a 9-under 63 at Champions Retreat, giving her a two-shot lead over defending champion Lottie Woad, who did her best to track down Ganne. The scoring was lower than usual at Champions Retreat, where the opening two rounds are held before the top 30 who make the cut play the final round at Augusta National, which hosts the Masters next week. Advertisement The weather was warm and turf was still relatively soft, and Ganne took advantage with a bogey-free round. Playing early and starting on the back, the Stanford junior ran off three straight birdies early and saved par with an 18-foot putt on the fifth hole, her 14th of the day. The only disappointment was a three-putt par on the par-5 ninth hole. 'Believe it or not, I had a dream last night that I shot 61,' Ganne said on Golf Channel. 'I didn't tell anyone. I didn't want to set bad omens in the air.' And she nearly got there until the three-putt on her final hole, though Ganne had few complaints. Her 63 broke by two shots the mark previous held by Rose Zhang, her former Stanford teammate who won the ANWA two years ago. Advertisement Woad more than held her own despite seeing such a low number on the board before she even made the turn. 'I saw she was at 9 under and thought I needed to get something going,' Woad said. She had four birdies on the back nine, missing out on one chance at the par-5 14th but making up for that with a 45-foot birdie putt on the 15th. No one has won back to back since the ANWA began in 2019 and quickly became one of the premier amateur championships for women. That's largely because the entire field gets a practice round at the home of the Masters on Friday before those who make the cut play Augusta National for the title on Saturday. Advertisement Anna Davis, who won the ANWA three years ago at age 16 and now plays at Auburn, said Ganne setting the tone early probably contributed to the low scoring. For most players, the goal is to make the cut and have a chance to compete at Augusta National. 'Now it's not, 'Want to make the cut.' It's just trying to catch her,' Davis said after a 69. Kiara Romero, Farah O'Keefe and Amanda Sambach were each at 67. They were among 29 players in the 71-player field who broke par. U.S. Women's Amateur champion Rianne Malixi had to withdraw because of a back injury. Ganne is playing the ANWA for the fifth time, having advanced to the final round each of the last two years. She has been around long enough to realize there's still a long road ahead. 'Enjoy today and take the rest of the week as it comes,' Ganne said. 'But today was pretty special.' ___ AP golf:
