AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR

April 2, 2024

Asterisk Talley

Quick Quotes

Q. Let's talk about this week. What does it mean to be here and be a part of this?

ASTERISK TALLEY: I'm so excited to just be here and compete here. I mean, it's been a blessing to just get invited and I'm excited to get to play Augusta.

It's the most historic course in golf, so I'm super excited.

Q. What are your first observations here at Champions Retreat?

ASTERISK TALLEY: The greens are super fast and they don't check. They don't hold as much as I'm used to. But I'm sure I can get used to that within the week. It's going to be fun.

Q. Being 15 years old, pretty remarkable you're here playing. Any advice from the older, more experienced players?

ASTERISK TALLEY: It's just like don't get ahead of yourself. Don't get too anxious or excited. I think that was my mindset going in. It was just like don't think this is anything special. Just play golf as normal.

Q. What are your expectations for yourself here this week?

ASTERISK TALLEY: I know everyone else is playing to win, so, I mean, that's kind of what you have to do going into any tournament. If you don't think you're going to win you're not going to.

Q. Do you have your driver's permit yet?

ASTERISK TALLEY: No. In California where I live you can get it at 15 and a half, so we're going to start learning.

Q. Still a few months away.

ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah.

Q. Buddies back home and friends from school that know you'll be here this week playing cheering you on?

ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah, I was at Sage like two weeks ago I think and I missed school that week. Then last week was spring break so there was no school. This week I'm missing it again. They're like, when are you going to come back?

I'm like, I'm doing something serious, so you guys can't talk.

Q. This is more fun than school anyway.

ASTERISK TALLEY: Yeah.

Q. I know you played in DCP. DCP is celebrating their 1oth anniversary this weekend. What was your experience like there and what kind of stands out from your DCP days?

ASTERISK TALLEY: It's so fun because you're so young, and the first time at Augusta you don't really know what you're doing. You know you're there to play golf but you don't know this is where the Masters is played and how historic the course is. It's just a fun time and you hope to do good.

Q. How did that experience shape the golfer you are now today?

ASTERISK TALLEY: That part of the game is so crucial. Your irons can be good and you're still not going to win. But your driver, chipper, and putter have to be on your game to able to win tournaments. It shaped how I play golf.

Q. Plenty of kids getting ready to tee it up for the first time at Augusta this weekend. As you are very well aware. What would you tell those kids or a younger you as you get ready for DCP?

ASTERISK TALLEY: Just have fun with it, because at the time you don't know like what stage you're on and it's just like sometimes could be stressful. You only have a certain like distance to get within, so it's just like have fun. You're not going to get that chance again.

Q. How do you stay focused on Champions Retreat knowing you've tasted a little bit of Augusta National and there is more to come this weekend?

ASTERISK TALLEY: I just need to stay in my game, because you can make the cut, you can not, but it's just like you need to stay on the course you're on for now and focus. When that comes, it comes.