The LPGA's Future Takes Center Stage in Portland, While Two Stars Are Missing

Earlier this season, the LPGA Tour announced that its longest-running event would become a showcase for some of the brightest young stars in amateur golf.

Golf's governing bodies agreed to give the winners of the U.S. Women's Amateur, Women's British Amateur, Augusta National Women's Amateur and NCAA Championship (individual) an exemption into the 2026 Standard Portland Classic, presenting yet another opportunity for the game's rising stars to test their games against the pros.

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This decision marks the first time that the winners of all four amateur events will have the opportunity to compete in the same non-major LPGA Tour event...well at least it was supposed to be.

Maria Jose Marin (ANWA champion), Farah O'Keefe (NCAA champion), and Valentine Delon (The Women's Amateur Championship) are all confirmed for the field this week but Golfweek reported that recent U.S. Women's Amateur Champion Asterisk Talley will not compete this week due to a school conflict.

While it would have been cool to see a pairing of three of these four all together, I'm also not at all surprised that Talley isn't playing. Last week was so grueling, between the golf and all the weather delays, the 17-year-old should prioritize recovering even if it means dealing with the work load of being a high school senior.

Caroline Inglis, a University of Oregon grad who retired from the Tour last year, has replaced Talley in the field.

But she isn't the only top-ranked am that is missing this week.

World No. 1 amateur Kiara Romero, who is just one LEAP point shy of earning her LPGA card, is also missing from the Portland field this week.

Her big sister, Kaleiya Romero, is in the field on a sponsor invite after having a hell of a year on the Epson Tour, including a win and seven top-10 finishes.

Megha Ganne, the 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur champion, is also teeing it up on a sponsor invite. Ganne is now playing full time on the Epson Tour after finishing her collegiate career at Stanford, where she was ranked No. 4 in the NCAA DI Women’s Clippd rankings and helped the Cardinal capture the 2026 team national championship by clinching the winning point. She was also the recipient of the Inkster Award, given to the highest-ranked women's Division I golfer in her final year of eligibility during the 2025-26 season.

Headlining the pros this week are World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul and defending champion Aki Iwai.

This week is also the penultimate event before USA Solheim captain Angela Stanford will finalize her squad. Players on the bubble who need a big week and have entered in the field are Yealimi Noh, Lauren Coughlin, Andrea Lee, Lindy Duncan, Lucy Li, Megan Khang, Jenny Bae, Rose Zhang, Lexi Thompson, and Ryann O'Toole.

All times are eastern.