Talley Surges to the Top: Augusta National Women’s Amateur Round 2 Recap

Thursday provided another day of great golf in Augusta. Calm winds and sunny skies led to the lowest 36-hole scoring average in ANWA history. The round also brought plenty of drama, as the field was cut to the top 30 and ties.

First-round leader Soomin Oh got off to a strong start with a birdie on her third hole, but played her remaining 15 holes in three over. Oh’s second round 74 places her in a tie for 6th heading into the weekend.

For Asterisk Talley, Thursday’s round was more of the same. She followed her opening-round 6-under 66 with a bogey-free 5-under 67. She is the only player in the field without a bogey in her first two rounds.

Defending NCAA champion, Maria Jose Marin, looks to add another victory to her esteemed résumé. After holding a share of the lead after her first round 7-under 65, Marin carded four birdies and one bogey enroute to a 3-under 69. She sits one shot back of Talley in a tie for second after 36 holes.

Tied with her at 10-under is world No. 5 Meja Ortengren. One of three Stanford players in the top 15, Ortengren has carded back-to-back rounds of 5-under 67. She remains one shot back, and will be teeing it up in the final group on Saturday.

The biggest move of the day belongs to 18-year-old ANWA rookie Yunseo Yang. The South Korean improved on her opening round by five shots, carding a bogey-free 5-under 67. The round vaulted her up the leaderboard, as she now sits in a tie for 14th. She’ll need another strong performance on Saturday, however, as she remains seven shots behind the leader.

Thursday provided the lowest 36-hole cut in championship history, at 2-under par. Brooke Biermann stood on the ninth tee, her finishing hole, at 1-under, needing a birdie to advance. After three solid swings, she made the walk up to the ninth green, with the leaderboard revealing exactly where she stood. The task was simple, make the cut, and advance to Saturday. Unfortunately, heartbreak struck. Her putt slipped right past the right edge and she tapped in for par. Still, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur offers the greatest consolation for a missed cut in golf, a stress-free round at Augusta National. For some, though, even a consolation round at Augusta National Golf Club isn’t enough.

Megha Ganne, who’s making her sixth start was one the biggest names to miss the cut. The Stanford Cardinal has already proved herself in the women’s game, with three wins, including the 2025 U.S. Amateur. She plans on turning professional following her graduation this spring, where she is completing a dual major in Science and Technology and Society. She came into this tournament in good form, with two top 10’s and a win in her past three starts. However, her first round got off to a shaky start. She started four over after her first 4 holes, and was never able to claw her way back and finished at seven over for the tournament. Still one tourney doesn’t define her, and the world’s No. 6 amateur has a long and storied career ahead.

Other notables to miss the cut include Rianne Malixi, Eila Galitsky, and Kelly Xu.

Friday’s round provides an amazing spectacle. The leaders will be hyper-focused on preparing for Saturday’s final round, while those who missed the cut will enjoy a relaxed day with their families at Augusta National Golf Club. For Brooke Biermann and Megha Ganne, Saturday’s round will serve as a celebration of their amateur careers. Meanwhile, Asterisk Talley prepares for the biggest moment of hers.

Saturday’s final round should feature plenty of drama, with two players within one shot of 36-hole leader Asterisk Talley. The past three champions have won by a total of 2 strokes, as Rose Zhang’s 2023 victory came via a playoff. Coverage will run from 12PM to 3PM this Saturday, and I highly recommend tuning in.

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