The countdown to the historic U.S. Women's Open at Riviera is on—just three weeks away—and Monday's qualifying action delivered drama, surprises, and a glimpse of the future across eight sites worldwide.
In Richmond, California, 17-year-old Asterisk Talley stole the show. The high school junior didn't just win—she dominated, finishing five strokes ahead of the field at Richmond Country Club. Her rounds of 70-69 made her the only player under par, securing her third consecutive Women's Open appearance. Fellow local Anita Lumpongpoung grabbed the second qualifying spot, making it a big day for the Chowchilla community.
Meanwhile in Florida, all eyes were on 10-year-old Cheetah Baez. Just last month, she was competing in the Girls 7-9 division of the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National. Now, she was taking on Streamsong Black in a 36-hole qualifier, with the chance to surpass Lucy Li as the youngest ever to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open. While her scores of 91-95 didn't get her through, the experience was invaluable for the young phenom.
At the top of the Florida leaderboard, Carla Bernat Escuder showed incredible grit. The 2025 Augusta National Women's Amateur champion had just finished tied for fifth on the Epson Tour in Las Vegas, then flew overnight to Florida for the qualifier. Running on just four hours of sleep, she shot 69-70 to earn co-medalist honors at 7 under alongside Taiwan's Peiyun Chien.
Over at Essex County Country Club in New Jersey, the drama reached a fever pitch. Two-time LPGA winner Rose Zhang was among a group of pros battling for spots, but it was a rollercoaster finish. Former Kentucky standout Laney Frye holed out for eagle on the 35th hole, seemingly knocking out Zhang and several others. But Frye bogeyed the last, triggering a four-for-one playoff that included Japanese star Erika Hara, former Duke player Gina Kim, Zhang, and Frye.
Kim prevailed in overtime, earning her spot at Riviera, while Zhang was left as the first alternate. It's a tough break for the rising star, but with her talent, she'll be back in contention soon enough.