Latest news with #U.S.Girls'Junior
NBC Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Kiara Romero goes from 'dead last' to record round at U.S. Women's Open
Kiara Romero had nothing to lose. After carding a quadruple-bogey 8 on the drivable par-4 15th hole on Saturday at Erin Hills, Romero signed for a 12-over 84 to plummet to last place among players who made the U.S. Women's Open cut. But the rising Oregon junior responded in a big way on Sunday, firing a 5-under 67, the lowest final-round score by an amateur in championship history. 'I think just knowing that I was literally in dead last kind of freed me up into knowing I had absolutely nothing to lose and just playing my game,' Romero said. 'Knowing I've been playing some good golf. I made the cut to get here. I knew I had it in me, and I just tried to stay patient and put that round behind me.' Romero's record day, which was 17 strokes better than the previous round, included six birdies and just one bogey. Once she got through the first three holes, which she played in even par with a birdie at No. 2 and bogey at No. 3, Romero said she 'started to roll' playing in the first twosome off. 'We were playing like a pretty fast pace, so everything was just kind of going one after another,' Romero said. 'Yeah, I think it was just a lot easier. Like everything was just coming to me. I could read the greens and I knew what club I was hitting. Yesterday all those things were just a mystery to me. It was like I've never played golf before, yeah. Just happens I guess.' The 19-year-old Romero, who had Oregon head coach Derek Radley on her bag, missed the cut in her USWO debut last year, a start she earned by winning the U.S. Girls' Junior the previous summer. She was coming off a T-8 at the NCAA Championship, which followed wins at the Big Ten Championship and NCAA Gold Canyon Regional. The Ducks fell in the semifinals of match play to eventual NCAA champion Northwestern.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Kiara Romero posts lowest final-round score by an amateur in a U.S. Women's Open history
Kiara Romero posts lowest final-round score by an amateur in a U.S. Women's Open history ERIN, Wis. – Kiara Romero leaves Erin Hills with a piece of history. The 19-year-old amateur went out in the first group on Sunday at the 80th U.S. Women's Open and posted the lowest final-round score by an amateur in championship history. Romero's 5-under 67 included six birdies and was a whopping 17 strokes better than her Saturday score. "I think just knowing that I was literally in dead last kind of freed me up into knowing I had absolutely nothing to lose and just playing my game," said the University of Oregon standout. "Knowing I've been playing some good golf. I made the cut to get here. I knew I had it in me and I just tried to stay patient and put that round behind me." The third-round scoring average at Erin Hills was 75.23, and Romero, like many other players, got especially tripped up on the drivable par-4 15th where she made an eight. "I think it was just a lot easier, like everything was just coming to me," said Romero, one of six amateurs to make the cut. "I could read the greens and I knew what club I was hitting. Yesterday all those things were just a mystery to me. It was like I've never played golf before, yeah. Just happens I guess." Romero, who will return to Oregon for her junior season in the fall, had head coach Derek Radley on the bag at Erin Hills. The 2023 U.S. Girls' Junior champion made her USWO debut last year at Lancaster Country Club where she missed the cut.
USA Today
17-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Madelene Sagstrom opens with 65 at LA Championship after closing with first tournament ace
Madelene Sagstrom opens with 65 at LA Championship after closing with first tournament ace Madelene Sagstrom ended the first round of the JM Eagle LA Championship with her first – ever – tournament ace. The recent winner of the T-Mobile Match Play in Las Vegas opened the LA Championship with a 7-under 65. The hole-in-one occurred on the par-3 ninth from 120 yards. "It got really cold our last three holes so I was – I have the shot that I play, we call it a 2-2-2, and it's like a little lower wind shot," said Sagstrom. "I'm like, you know, I don't think I can reach with my pitching wedge right now. Let's hit a little 2-2-2-9. It was perfect. I hit it really well. It would've been good anyway, but I was like, nope, it went in, and I was like, oh, did that just happen?" And the celebration? "I wish I was that athletic but I'm not," she said. "Well, I think I threw my hands up in the air and I was very excited. No, I don't know. It's weird because I actually got to see it. That's the best part. You get to see it go in." While her driver isn't as dialed in as she'd like, Sagstrom said momentum on the greens has carried over from Vegas. She's also trying to carry on a "match play mentality" of letting go of bad shots and moving on quickly. Sagstrom trails former AIG Women's British Open champion Ashleigh Buhai, who shot 63, by two strokes and sits tied with three-time major winner In Gee Chun. World No. 1 Nelly Korda trails by four. Amateur Asterisk Talley, 16, opened with a 69 at El Caballero Country Club, where she was a finalist at the U.S. Girls' Junior last summer.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
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. Advertisement 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." Asterisk Talley of United States is seen on the No. 6 hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club, Saturday, April 05, 2025. 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement "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." This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Asterisk Talley is confident ahead of LPGA's JM Eagle LA Championship
USA Today
16-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Why Asterisk Talley has 'less pressure' playing LPGA event than last time she played El Cab
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."
