Asterisk Talley begins two-week swing on the LPGA, including a major

Asterisk Talley happens to be a member at El Caballero Country Club, site of this week's JM Eagle LA Championship. It's the start of a two-week swing on the LPGA for the 17-year-old high school junior, who opened with an eventful 2-under 70 that included five birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey.

Both Talley and Canadian teen Aphrodite Deng, the top two juniors in the AJGA rankings, are playing the event on sponsor invitations.

"I know it like the back of my hand now," said Talley of El Cab, the site of her runner-up finish at the 2024 U.S. Girls' Junior.

Asterisk Talley of the United States hits a tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro at El Caballero Country Club on April 16, 2026 in Tarzana, California.

After experiencing heartbreak at the Augusta National Women's Amateur, Talley went back to high school and watched the Masters during class, when she was done with her homework, of course.

"I thought the course played a lot different than when we played," said Talley. "Some of the shots they hit they would just bounce and roll off the greens. I was like, that was not the conditions that we had."

After this week, Talley heads to Texas for the LPGA's first major of the season, the Chevron Championship at Memorial Park in Houston. Talley will play the event on a sponsor exemption, as she did last year. She was extended the invitation last Wednesday.

ANWA champion Maria Jose Marin was exempt into the Chevron field based on her win at Augusta but has elected not to compete with the SEC Championship taking place at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, at the same time.

Japan's Chizzy Iwai started off on the back nine Thursday at El Cab and shot 29 with five straight birdies and an eagle on Nos. 11-16.

"A little bit thinking 58 or 9 score," said Iwai, "But golf is not easy."