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EVANS, Ga. (WJBF) – The much-anticipated 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) is officially in progress, drawing the top talents in women’s amateur golf to its prestigious greens.
As the tournament kicks off, the world’s top 20 players according to the Amateur World Golf Ranking (AWGR), along with 48 of the top 50, will vie for a coveted spot in the final round. The competition on Wednesday and Thursday is intense, with players striving to secure a spot among the top 30 plus ties, advancing them to Saturday’s grand finale at the iconic Augusta National Golf Club.
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A general view of golf balls and a tee marker during the first round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Club, Wednesday, April 01, 2026. -
Detail of the No. 1 hole marker at sunrise ahead of the first round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Club, Wednesday, April 01, 2026. -
General view of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Trophy during the first round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Club, Wednesday, April 01, 2026.
For 17-year-old Asterisk Talley, who finished as the runner-up last year, the event holds immense significance. “It means everything,” Talley shared. “The courses and the quality of the field are what make this event so special. Everyone here is exceptional, and the goal is to win. Achieving that title is incredibly fulfilling.”
Among the standout competitors is Spain’s Paula Martin Sampedro, currently ranked No. 2 in the AWGR. Sampedro is participating in her third Augusta National Women’s Amateur and has consistently reached the final round at Augusta National in her previous appearances.
Reflecting on the tournament’s allure, Sampedro remarked after her practice session on Tuesday, “This tournament is special for many reasons, not least because we have the opportunity to play at Augusta National. I’ve been fortunate to make it to the final round in my past two years here, and it’s been an incredible experience. The course at Champions Retreat also offers a formidable challenge and is a great test of our skills.”
“Playing in this great of a field, I feel like I just need to take it one shot at a time, and now we’re here on this course for a couple of days, so I just look forward to focusing on just competing here and playing my best and then hopefully enjoy the last couple of rounds at Augusta National.”
Farah O’Keefe, a junior at the University of Texas, enters her third ANWA as the top-ranked American in the field, No. 4 in the AWGR.
“I’m trusting myself. I’m trusting my game,” O’Keefe said. “I feel like I have a lot of belief in what I’ve been working on, so I’m just going to go out there and see if my game stacks up against the best in the world, and if it happens to be my week, then it’s my week.
“Otherwise I’m going to learn from it and I’m going to walk away and I’m going to build some confidence and go to the next one, and we’ll be back next year.”
For first and second round groupings and start times, click here. Following Thursday’s second round the field will be cut to the top 30 plus ties that advance to Saturday’s final round at Augusta National Golf Club. The entire field will play a practice round there on Friday.
Golf Channel will provide live coverage of Wednesday’s first round beginning at 1:30 p.m. Eastern.
This story will be updated throughout the day.