2026 U.S. Women's Amateur: Marathon 9-player playoff decides final 64
Two rounds of stroke play at the 2026 U.S. Women's Amateur concluded with a dramatic playoff for the final spots in match play. Weather delays and intense competition led to an unprecedented 9-player playoff for the last two berths in the 64-player field.
- Anna Iwanaga, a 17-year-old from Japan, held onto her first-round lead to earn co-medalist honors, at six under, alongside 15-year-old Hailey Kim of Simi Valley, Calif.
- Both players finished with a two-round total of six under-par 138.
- Just one stroke behind the co-medalists was 17-year-old Asterisk Talley, whose second-round 3-under 69 secured her the No.
- After regular play concluded, nine players were tied at five over, with just two spots remaining in the 64-player match play field.
After two rounds of stroke play at the 2026 U.S. Women's Amateur, two players sit atop the leaderboard. Anna Iwanaga, a 17-year-old from Japan, held onto her first-round lead to earn co-medalist honors, at six under, alongside 15-year-old Hailey Kim of Simi Valley, Calif. Both players finished with a two-round total of six under-par 138.
Just one stroke behind the co-medalists was 17-year-old Asterisk Talley, whose second-round 3-under 69 secured her the No. 3 seed entering match play. The players battled more than just one another. A weather delay of nearly two and a half hours suspended second-round play on Wednesday and forced competitors to return the following day to complete their rounds.
After regular play concluded, nine players were tied at five over, with just two spots remaining in the 64-player match play field. These nine hopefuls included Bridget Boczar, Paula Francisco, Sarah Lydic, Claire Swathwood, Eliana Saga, Kathryn VanArragon, Nobelle Park, Addison Klonowski, and Hsin Chun Liao.
The playoff began on the 10th hole, a demanding 407-yard, par-4. Its layout quickly narrowed the field, eliminating Park, Swathwood, Lydic, and Francisco after the first extra hole. The remaining five competitors battled for more than two hours, extending the playoff through three more holes.
On the third extra hole, the par-4 15th, VanArragon and Saga were eliminated after Boczar, Klonowski, and Liao each made birdie to extend the playoff. The final two spots were decided on the following hole—the par-3 16th—where the tee shot over water heightened the pressure.
After missing the green to the left, Boczar made bogey, leaving her fate in the hands of her competitors. Klonowski faced a birdie attempt from roughly 20 feet, rolling it close to leave herself a short par putt. Moments later, Liao confidently buried a 10-foot birdie putt to punch her ticket into the match-play bracket.
All eyes turned to Klonowski as she stepped over her short par putt and rolled it into the heart of the cup. Following the playoff, Klonowski credited her teammate, who was on the bag, for helping her stay composed on the course. This marathon playoff served as a testament to the resilience and skill of these young golfers vying for the prestigious U.S. Women's Amateur title.
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