CROMVOIRT, Netherlands — Asterisk Talley wants to be one of the greatest golfers of all time — but the 17-year-old prodigious talent is not in a hurry.
The only rush the Californian was in Tuesday afternoon at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands was to link back up with her U.S. teammates to continue the celebrations after winning the Junior Solheim Cup. It was Talley’s third time playing at the event after making her debut in 2023 in Spain as the youngest player on the team, aged 14.
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Having won it in 2024, Talley was one of the more senior leaders as the U.S. staved off a final-day fightback from Europe, who won 8.5 points but fell short overall, losing 13-11.
“I was always a baby of the team, and now they’re kind of looking at me to be the leader and to follow in my footsteps,” Talley told The Athletic after the win. “What was really special to me was to be that this week, but it was also special embracing the energy and the fun. We all had a great time, and that’s what really mattered. If we won or lost, we did it with class and pride.”
After leading coming into the last couple of holes at the event, which acts as a precursor to the senior Solheim Cup, Talley lost her singles match against Europe’s Annabel Peaford.
“I didn’t play bad today; it just didn’t work out the way I wanted,” said Talley, who started playing golf at the age of 3. “I know my game’s in a good spot, and I’m happy with it. I’m just so proud of our team and what we pulled off today. When you look at the leaderboard, and you see a lot of blue on there, it’s not very exciting, but I am glad we were able to turn it around and pull through.”
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The excitement around Talley has been ramping up ever since she was two shots off the lead at the U.S. Women’s Open in 2024, where she was — and not for the first time — the youngest player in the field. She finished tied for 44th and the low amateur. Since that outing, there have been five more major appearances as well as a pair of agonizing finishes at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur — she was the runner-up in 2025, and finished tied for fourth earlier this year after a head-spinning quadruple bogey on the par-3 12th.
Talley walked off the course in tears, consoled by 10-time major winner Annika Sörenstam and two-time major winner Bryson DeChambeau. There was also a cuddle from her dad, Jim, who, when he is not on a golf course cheering for his daughter or serving as her caddie, is a correctional officer. Talley, whose mother, Brandii, works as a dental hygienist, went into the day with a one-shot lead and finished six back of eventual winner María José Marín.
“Everyone after Augusta said it just wasn’t your moment, it wasn’t your time, your time will come,” Talley said. And they had a point, as Talley won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in August.
“It was just great to get that feeling back just to show everyone that I had it in me to win, and it was nice to kind of get back what I lost.”
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What did she lose?
“I don’t think it really took anything away from me; I think it (falling short at ANWA) kind of showed people my character more than my golf game. That was a big bonus for me. I forgot about it right after the tournament, and then everyone was talking about how they learned more about me than about my golf game.”
Talley faced the media as tears fell down her face. She was heavily praised for handling the most difficult moment of her young career with such grace.
“I mean, not everything is the end of the world, and you’re going to lose golf tournaments,” Talley said. “I mean, no one can win every single tournament.”
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How does she handle being billed as a golf phenom and everything that comes with it?
“It is a little bit more pressure, but it is motivating just to kind of show people that I’m as good as they say.”
Instead of choosing to make her way as a professional onto the LPGA Tour, which is a realistic option, Talley is not rushing into anything and is focusing on continuing her development. Next year, she plans on attending women’s golf powerhouse Stanford. There will be more appearances as an amateur at LPGA events, too, where she hopes to play alongside world No. 1 and her golfing idol, Nelly Korda, whom she is excited to support in the Netherlands this weekend.
“I mean, you never really know what path you’re going to take throughout a golf career, it’s very shaky, and it can go any which way,” Talley said. “But I think they’re a pretty stable school, and they’re really nice. So I’m just super excited about that.”
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Attending a regular high school in Chowchilla, Calif., where she grew up, is one of the things that helps Talley, a former softball player, stay grounded.
“I get to see my friends whenever I’m home, which is nice, but I don’t really do anything besides golf and homework. It keeps me pretty occupied during the weeks,” Talley said with a smile.
As for her parents, there is a strong sense of gratitude for the sacrifices they have made and continue to make as her golf career flourishes.
“I’m really thankful for how much dedication they’ve put into me and into my game. They’ve helped me and supported me throughout this whole time, and I’m just really glad that I have them behind me. I’m an only child, so it’s all on me,” Talley said. “They’re only supporting me.”
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When asked what the biggest dream she has is, Talley answered immediately. “I just really want to be the best player in the world. I mean, that’s my goal,” she said. “It’s always been my goal.”
Talley then wandered out of the media center, looking down at her phone and trying to find her friends. And for a moment, she was just like any other teenager.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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