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Carla Bernat Escuder Claims Victory at Augusta National Women’s Amateur

Carla Bernat Escuder from Spain showcased her talent at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, achieving an impressive four-under 68 to secure the title. Her remarkable performance included a crucial flop shot to commence the back nine and a decisive four-foot par putt, which ultimately clinched her victory.

Escuder, who hails from the same region as golf legends Sergio Garcia and Jose Luis Ballester, overcame a two-shot deficit against the reigning champion, England’s Lottie Woad, and stood firm against a late challenge from Asterisk Talley. With a total score of 12-under 204, Escuder expressed her disbelief at her triumph, stating, “As of right now, I don’t think my brain has processed that I won.”

The young Spanish golfer attributes part of her success to her background. Victor Garcia, Sergio’s father, is one of her coaches, and she has also drawn support from her long-time friend Ballester, particularly focusing on improving her short game in recent times.

As she began the back nine, Bernat Escuder faced a challenging situation, having left her approach shot just outside a bunker with the ball positioned slightly above her feet. Demonstrating her skill, she executed a stunning flop shot that landed 12 feet from the hole and successfully made her par putt.

“I knew the tournament was going to start on No 10 because I’ve watched all the Masters,” she noted, referencing the adage that the real competition begins on the back nine. “As soon as I hit that second shot, I was like, ‘Oh, I need to get it together and just get this par’. I dug in and I think that was the key.”

At that point, she maintained a slim lead of just one shot after carding an impressive outward nine of 33. Woad, aiming to be the first back-to-back champion of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, initially tied for the lead with Kiara Romero. She birdied the first hole but faced a severe setback on the 10th when her aggressive approach shot went left and over the green, resulting in a penalty drop and a double-bogey that dropped her three shots behind.

“I put a good swing on it, it was just the wrong club,” Woad reflected, noting her choice of a five-iron was suboptimal under the conditions. “I thought it was meant to be into the wind, and off the downslope it came out a bit too flat, so probably should have just hit one less club. Then I got in an unfortunate position, so probably was always going to make six from there.”

Facing the pressure to catch up, Woad experienced frustration after finishing with a 72, ultimately placing her third with a total of nine under par.

In an impressive display of skill and resilience, Talley—who was the runner-up in both the US Women’s Amateur and the US Junior Girls—began the final round by holing out for eagle from the first fairway. After landing a birdie at the 16th, Talley produced an incredible recovery shot from a difficult lie on the 17th, setting up a birdie with an 18-foot putt. However, her approach on the 18th left her with a challenging putt around 40 feet away, which she managed to two-putt for par, finishing the day with a 68.

Meanwhile, Bernat Escuder faced her own complications, encountering trees on the 17th, leading to a bogey that reduced her lead to a single shot going into the last hole. Nevertheless, she maintained her composure, found the fairway, and hit her approach onto the top tier of the green, converting a four-foot par putt that secured her victory in this prestigious amateur event.

The Significance of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur

The Augusta National Women’s Amateur has rapidly established itself as one of the most illustrious events in women’s amateur golf. Winning this tournament is seen as a significant milestone, highlighting the elevation of women’s golf on the global stage and inspiring future generations of players.

Upcoming Coverage of The Masters

Sky Sports Golf is set to provide comprehensive live coverage of the upcoming Masters tournament. Viewers can expect an impressive number of hours dedicated to the event, including new weekend build-up shows that promise extensive coverage of the action. Coverage begins at 2pm on Thursday, featuring updates and insights throughout the tournament.

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