Maria's Moment: Meet the 2026 Augusta National Women's Amateur Champion

AUGUSTA, Ga. — A year ago, Maria Jose Marin turned to her father seeking comfort after missing the cut at Champions Retreat. Today, she jumped into his arms in celebration.

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

When I got off of 18, of course my mom and my dad were there. We talked about it yesterday, not a lot, but we talked about what would happen if you win? I was like, I want you both out on the green. I want you there because I want you to be the first ones I hug.

Her dad, Jose, was on her bag at the 2025 championship—a decision that seemingly haunted him—as he went out of his way to ensure that she had the right person by her side this time around. That someone is a local firefighter, who Maria adorably refers to as "Mr. Darren".

"He's been by my side since I started playing golf. He was the one that taught me the love for this game," Marin said in her winning press conference, in response to a question about the relationship she has with her father.

"He decided this year that he can't be on the bag. He had the experience with me last year. He said, 'you need someone that knows. I love you with all my heart, but you need someone that knows how to handle a tournament of this level.' I think it was one of the most beautiful decisions that he could have ever made because he was totally selfless."

First reported by Golfweek, 56-year-old Darren Woo works for the Savannah River Site Fire Department, but he has also been a caddy at Champions Retreat for the last several years. A few weeks back during a practice round, Woo was on the bag for Marin and a pair of her teammates. Woo and Marin instantly clicked, and she told her coach to get him on her bag for the seventh edition of the Augusta National Women's Amateur.

And man, what a duo these two turned out to be.

En route to her record-setting win of 14-under par, Marin made six birdies to shoot a 4-under round of 68, coming from a shot behind 36-hole leader Asterisk Talley to win by four.

For the first 11 holes, it looked like this was Talley's to lose...and then came the 12th hole.

If you have ever tuned into any Masters ever, then you're familiar with the short, 145-yard par 3 that has some teeth to it. The 17-year-old wound up making a damning quadruple-bogey 7 to put her in a one shot deficit from where she started the day.

"Overshot the green. Just kind of got lucky for not going in the bushes there," Talley said about the errant tee shot. "The sand didn't really have a lot in there. It was just kind of hard under the surface sand. I tried to do my best to keep it from rolling in the water, it just didn't happen."

Asterisk Talley of The United States plays her tee shot on the 12th hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club on April 04, 2026 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

It all happens to quick. The momentum swings at Augusta National. At one moment, you're riding a high and in an instant you're served a slice of humble pie that you can't even stomach.

"My emotions the whole round were a roller coaster. I didn't start that solid. I was looking at the leaderboard, and Asterisk was already making a move. But I just reminded myself that I had to stay really, really patient because anything can happen out here," Marin continued to say. "When that last putt sank in, I just thought to myself, well, I made it. All of my hard work has paid off, and I'm just extremely proud of myself."

The smiley, fiery competitor representing all of Latin America this week has cemented herself in the history books with this win. With her family and friends all cheering her on with their little Columbian flags in tow willing her to the finish line (including LPGA player and former Razorback Maria Fassi who knows a thing or two about a Sunday finish here).

The young girl I watched a year ago, devastated and defeated, got to right her wrongs with the world watching.

Golf fans, say hello to the breakout star of the 2026 Augusta National Women's Amateur.