Bogey-Free Yang Soars into Augusta Contention

Augusta, Georgia, United States: Yang Yun-seo produced the joint best round of the day to propel herself into contention at the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA).

Winner of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) in New Zealand in February, the Korean appeared to be in danger of missing the ANWA cut after an opening-round one-over-par 73.

But the 18-year-old bounced back in fine style, firing a bogey-free second-round of five-under-par 67 at Champions Retreat.

With a 36-hole total of four-under 140, Yang will head into Saturday’s final round at Augusta National in a share of 14th place – seven strokes off the pace being set by American Asterisk Talley.

Sweden’s Meja Ortengren and Colombian Maria Jose Marin are joint second on 10-under 134. Talley and Ortengren matched Yang’s 67, while Marin posted a 69.

A total of 10 of the 18 representatives from the Asia-Pacific were within the top-30 after two rounds, thus qualifying to line-up at the home of the Masters Tournament.

Leading the way for the region are Koreans Oh Soo-min and Kim Gyu-been, Hong Kong, China’s Arianna Lau and Australian Raegan Denton who share sixth place on five-under 139. Oh, the joint first-round leader with Marin, followed up her opening 65 with a 74 while Kim carded a day two 70, Lau had a 71 and Denton signed for an even-par 72.

Alongside Yang is Japan’s Aira Nagasawa, who was a model of consistency in round two with two birdies and 16 pars.

Also progressing were Korean Park Seo-jin (tied 19th, 141), China’s Liu Yujie and Thai Achiraya Sriwong (tied 24th, 142) and Japan’s Yurina Hiroyoshi (tied 29th, 143).

Hiroyoshi, fifth at the WAAP, dropped below the cut-line when she ran up back-to-back bogeys at 16 and 17. However, the 16-year-old steeled herself to make a birdie-four at the 18th to scrape through.

Not so fortunate were Thai Eila Galitsky and Rianne Malixi of the Philippines, who both suffered the anguish of missing the cut by a single stroke.

Three-under for the day through 17, Galitsky, the 2023 WAAP champion, made a bogey on the home hole to post a 70 for an even-par 144 aggregate. 

Malixi, the former US Women’s Amateur champion, also looked in good shape when she raced to three-under through eight holes. But bogeys at nine and 17 meant she carded a 71 to go with her opening 73.

Also failing to progress were Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Huai-chien (145), Japan’s Anna Iwanaga (146), New Zealand’s Eunseo Choi and Japanese Ai Goto (both 147), Thai Prim Prachnakorn (149) and Japan’s Tsubasa Kajitani, (165). Kajitani won the ANWA in 2021.

The entire field will play a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club on Friday.