Between the defending champ, Lottie Woad, the reigning Freshman of the Year, Kiara Romero, Stanford stars Megha Ganne and Andrea Revuelta, and teenage sensation Asterisk Talley, it would have been easy to overlook Bernat Escuder as a contender.

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Maybe it was the comfortable pairing with compatriot Revuelta or the Spanish history at Augusta National, but Bernat Escuder played steady golf all day. She carded four birdies on the first nine to set the tone. 

The stretch of hole Nos. 8-10 felt like the turning point for Bernat Escuder. A birdie on the par-5 eighth got her to 10-under par and into the lead. Then, she nearly holed her approach on ten, leaving it about 3 inches from dropping in for an eagle. A tap-in birdie rounded out a first-nine 33.

The walk to the tenth tee is a famous one. Leaving time to think about the future and what life might be like on the 18th green.

Bernat Escuder’s biggest misstep came on her approach into the tenth green when she pushed her iron shot into some serious trouble. The fist pump that followed her 20-foot par putt made it clear the momentum had been saved. 

“I knew the tournament was going to start on number 10,” Bernat Escuder said. As soon as I hit that second shot, I thought, *You need to get it together and get this par.”*

For defending champion Woad, the tenth hole is where her tournament turned, too. A pulled iron shot flew a little bit too far and bounded over the tenth green and into the bushes. She took an unplayable and would card a double-bogey six. 

From there, Woad was chasing, and the putts weren’t falling. She left a birdie putt on 12 on the lip where a gust of wind might have forced it into the hole. Birdies on holes Nos. 13 and 14 gave her a bit of life, but a par on 15 and a bogey on 16 sealed her fate. 

Asterisk Talley was another chaser who started her day with a bang. She holed out for eagle on the first hole to leap into a tie for the lead at 7-under par. 

“I didn’t actually see it go in. I knew there was a back stop and the hole was in a little bowl. I hit it a little bit past the hole and let it spin back. I grabbed my putter and was already walking up to the green and everyone started screaming and going wild.”

Bogeys on holes No. 5 and 6 wiped out Talley’s loud start, but as has been the case with Talley over the last year, she bounced back and birdied holes 7 and 8. However, she couldn’t take advantage of her length and aggressiveness on the par fives. She reached the 13th but took three shots from the back left of the green for a par. 

Talley would make seven straight pars before rolling in a putt for birdie on 16 and then making an insane birdie from the trees on 17 to reach 11-under par and put a little pressure on Bernat Escuder who was cruising along at 13-under par. 

Bernat Escuder was able to to what Talley couldn’t: birdie the par fives on the back. 

Her fairway wood into the 13th hole was the stuff that wins championships. As the ball flew through the air, Bernat Escuder walked after it and twirled the club for good measure. She would two putt for a birdie. 

Throughout the round, Bernat Escuder could be seen taking long, deep breaths before and after pivotal shots. While she admitted to feeling nervous, she was also bouncy and smiling. 

She credited her caddie, Rinko Mitsunaga, for helping her all week. Mitsunaga is an assistant coach at Kansas State where Bernat Escuder plays.

“She’s super positive and one of my best friends. She’s all I needed today,” Bernat Escuder said.   She made everything feel like I wasn't here. It was, like, easier, if that makes sense.  I really appreciate her, and I'm so grateful she caddied for me for three rounds.”

While Talley was making a small charge, Bernat Escuder dropped a shot on the 17th hole shrinking her lead to one. That created a bit of drama as she headed to the 18th hole, but a solid drive and steady two putt from the back of the green secured the win for the Spaniard. 

Following the round, Bernat Escuder shared a moment with two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal. The ties that Bernat Escuder has to the Masters are stronger than just playing in the ANWA for the last three years. Victor Garcia, Sergio Garcia’s father, has been her swing coach since her years as a junior golfer. She hails from Castellón, the same hometown as the 2019 Masters champion.

“It’s wonderful fantastic to see a Spaniard win at Augusta again,” Olazabal said to Golf Channel after the round. “This is a special place and a special event. And it’s great for women’s golf in Spain.” 

Spain can now claim another champion at Augusta National and Bernat Escuder’s name will sit next to Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sergio Garcia, and Jon Rahm. 

“It feels amazing. I feel over the moon. Right now I don't think my brain has processed that I won,” Bernat Escuder.

With poise, precision, and a smile that never wavered, Carla Bernat Escuder held off a star-studded field and etched her name into Augusta National history—and perhaps lit the torch for the next generation of Spanish golf greatness.