Asterisk Talley makes US Women's Open history. He hopes to make another Sunday
Star Talley felt things were slipping away on Friday.
After opening with an even-par round at the 2026 US Women's Open at Riviera Country Club, the 17-year-old legend was blown away by George C. Thomas' design and thought she was going home early. He was 3-under 13 and made a double bogey on the par-3 14th to get out of the cut. Instead of fading into the Southern California sunset, the starling hunkered down and milled, believing that one or two closing birds would be enough to last the weekend.
He birdied 15 and 16 and rolled a seven-foot birdie putt on the par-5 17th to get back within the cut. Talley split 18 to give herself the lead for Saturday where she would open the weekend eight shots off the pace set by co-leaders Alison Lee and Ruoning Yin.
But all Asterisk Talley wanted was two more rounds at Riviera and a chance.
“Obviously it was a disappointing round yesterday, but after I won, it was great,” Talley said on Saturday. “It was like, I can't complain about the tee time on the weekend at the Riv, right? Then I hit the green after. I didn't hit any balls. I rested a little bit.”
Asterisk Talley got his chance, and on Saturday, everything was different.
He left early and planned his way around the famous Los Angeles course. He made birdies on holes one, three and six to finish at 3-under. He then hit his shot at the par-4 10th to drivable to hole high, blasted to three feet and made another birdie to get back to even par for the tournament. Coming off the tenth green, Talley found himself just out of the lead and in the thick of things as the leaders began to arrive for their tee times on Saturday. Talley then made six straight pars, including clutch saves on 15 and 16, before birdieing the par-5 17th to get into the red. A par on the 18th allowed Talley to post a bogey-free 66, the lowest weekend round by a golfer in US Women's Open history. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Talley is the first golfer to post a bogey-free 66 or lower at an LPGA major in 21 years, since Louise Stahle did so at the 2005 Women's British Open.
“I feel like the hole is a little bit bigger today,” Talley said, smiling, after his round. ” [I] I couldn't miss it.
Saturday was just the latest message that Asterisk Talley is coming and seems destined for big things.
She burst onto the scene two years ago at the US Women's Open in Lancaster when she competed and was honored with the junior 15-year-old amateur title. Talley, whose name means “Little Star” in Greek, has been rising at a meteoric pace. Expectations are high, and with those expectations comes great responsibility. The first time Talley appeared fat under that much weight came at this year's Augusta National Women's Amateur, where she held the lead on the back nine on Saturday before making a quadruple-bogey 7 on the par-3 12th. Talley limped to a T4 finish and cried in her parents' arms after the round. Then, Asterisk Talley gave everyone another hint that he was different, both in the game and in the way he wired. Still walking through the wreckage of his ANWA dreams, Talley stood in front of the media and graciously answered questions about his fall from the championship he wanted to win.
“People just want to see the side of the story of what happened,” Talley told GOLF at the Chevron Championship in April about his golden moment of accountability. “People are trying to figure out what happened. People are trying to blame somebody else. Blame the caddy, blame the game, blame the atmosphere. It was obviously the player's fault the whole time. I'm not going to blame somebody else for your mistakes. I needed to do that.
“That's also mandatory when you get to the big leagues. People will want to talk to you about what you did, even if you didn't get what you wanted.
Asterisk Talley hastened the destruction of ANWA. He thinks about it, but not with longing for what might be in the way. He knows it's part of his story, a teaching moment to guide him where he wants to go.
“Obviously, it wasn't the result I wanted,” Talley told GOLF in April. “But that's going to happen sometimes when you're trying to win things don't go your way, I'm glad I was able to play some good golf after that. [the 12th hole]. I enjoy the opportunity, obviously, to play ANWA every year. And I will try again.”
On Sunday, the “main stage” Asterisk Talley is scheduled to arrive. With a historic third round, Talley will come into Sunday with a chance to do something special and join Catherine Lacoste as the only undergrads to win the US Women's Open. Lacoste won the title in 1967.
Talley will have a host of major champions ahead of him, including World No. 1 Nelly Korda. He will go into the final round on the edge but with a chance to back up Saturday's fireworks with something even bigger.
Asked to reflect on how he's changed over the past two years at Lancaster, Talley did the same thing he did on Saturday's historic trip to the Riviera. He kept it simple and provided more proof that one day he can hold a golf club in his hand – that scars won't stop the seemingly inevitable. It's a matter of when they arrive, not when they arrive.
“You're a mature person and your golf game and your mindset will improve,” Talley said.
If Asterisk Talley is “better” on Sunday at the Riviera, the end he seems to be moving toward calmly may come sooner than expected.
