Augusta, Georgia – University of Arkansas standout Maria Jose Marin is the winner of the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
It’s only 155 yards, but the 12th at Augusta National seems to provide the greatest drama in the game. Maria Jose Marin survived “Golden Bell” in the final round on Saturday, Asterisk Talley did not… this was the short form story of the 2026 ANWA. Marin’s tee shot stopped on the steep bank of Rae’s Creek, while Talley made an unrecoverable quadruple 7 just moments after Marin’s good fortune.
17 year-old Talley looked poised to grab the title after another stellar outward side, but her tee shot at the diminutive beauty sailed into the back bunker, and from there she made a mess. Her bunker shot came out hot, and finished in Raes Creek, then she dropped in the same bunker and repeated with the same result. She actually got up-and-down from the drop zone on the other side of the creek to save the seven. She was visibly shaken afterward, but finished with a birdie at the last showing a measure of perseverance.
“I’m just a little emotional, not only because I didn’t get it done today, but also just everyone is so supportive,” Talley said afterward. “It’s hard when they have to watch that and see you not do well or not accomplish what you wanted. I still played fine today, even though that one hole just kind of got me. Other than that, it doesn’t define me as a golfer. I know what kind of player I am.”
Marin had her own entanglement with “Golden Bell” – “So my plan on 12 was going to the middle of the green down the left,” Marin said. “Of course, the ball didn’t turn down the left, it turned straight to the pin, and I think I got tricked with the wind because I felt it off my back. I think I’ve been kind of a victim of Amen Corner now because [the wind] totally tricked me. I think it’s a miracle that my ball stayed there.”
“Originally I had a plan to lay up into the hole and just have a wedge in, but I was kind of feeling my momentum and I was hitting the ball pretty, pretty solid,” she said. “I just told Mr.Darren (caddie), I’m going for it. It’s now or never, I’m going for it.”
Marin could sense that trouble was happening for Talley just behind her by the groans of the patrons… she thought perhaps some devine intervention might be happening. “One of the signs was the ball staying on that ridge on 12. I’ve never seen a ball stay there, and I think it was just God holding the ball there, like, don’t move. This is happening for something.
“Then I think getting into the green on 13, that was another sign. I mean, I stayed out of my strategy, and it worked out perfect.”
“Of course I was nervous today, but I was extremely nervous my last three times that I played here,” Marin said. “I think I just got a little desperate in past years trying to force things out here, and that’s one of the things that you can’t do here. You can’t force things. You just have to just be smart, stick to your strategy, and let the birdies come.”
