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see also: U.S. Women's Open, a USGA Championship, Riviera Country Club
Twenty-four amateurs teed it up at Riviera. Through Round 1, three of them sit one under par — a stroke out of the top 10
The Riviera Country Club • Pacific Palisades, Calif. • June 4–7, 2026 | Updated: Round 1 — [INSERT TIME/DATE]
Three amateurs share the early clubhouse lead among the non-professionals at 1 under par (70): Colombia's Maria José Marin, Spain's Paula Francisco Liáño, and Canada's Aphrodite Deng. National Junior Team headliner Asterisk Talley opened in even-par 71, very much in the hunt for a low-am medal she has contended for before.
Low amateur is awarded to the lowest-scoring amateur to complete 72 holes (must make the cut).
24 amateurs in the field of 156. “Thru” reflects holes completed at time of snapshot; “F” = finished. Overall Pos = position on the full championship leaderboard. Country shown where confirmed.
| AM | Player | Country | To Par | Thru / R1 | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maria José Marin | Colombia | −1 | 70 (F) | T14 |
| 2 | Paula Francisco Liáño | Spain | −1 | 70 (F) | T14 |
| 3 | Aphrodite Deng | Canada | −1 | Thru 16 | T14 |
| 4 | Asterisk Talley | USA | E | 71 (F) | T34 |
| 5 | Anita Lumpongpoung | — | E | Thru 10 | T34 |
| 6 | Katelyn Kong | — | +1 | Thru 10 | T49 |
| 7 | Meja Örtengren | Sweden | +2 | 73 (F) | T63 |
| 8 | Chloe Kovelesky | USA | +2 | 73 (F) | T63 |
| 9 | Nellie Ong | England | +2 | 73 (F) | T63 |
| 10 | Kiara Romero | USA | +2 | Thru 17 | T63 |
| 11 | Lauren Kim | — | +2 | Thru 12 | T63 |
| 12 | Soomin Oh | — | +2 | Thru 11 | T63 |
| 13 | Zoe Cusack | USA | +2 | Thru 11 | T63 |
| 14 | Jie-En Lin | — | +2 | Thru 9 | T63 |
| 15 | Paula Martin Sampedro | Spain | +3 | 74 (F) | T93 |
| 16 | Veronika Kedronova | Czech Republic | +3 | Thru 12 | T93 |
| 17 | Farah O'Keefe | USA | +3 | Thru 10 | T93 |
| 18 | Addie Dobson | USA | +3 | Thru 10 | T93 |
| 19 | Thanana Kotchasanmanee | Thailand | +4 | Thru 10 | T116 |
| 20 | Sofia Rivera | Mexico | +4 | Thru 10 | T116 |
| 21 | Ina Kim-Schaad | USA | +7 | 78 (F) | T147 |
| 22 | Amy Lee | — | +7 | 78 (F) | T147 |
| 23 | Athena Singh | USA | +7 | 78 (F) | T147 |
| 24 | Sarah Hammett | USA | +9 | 80 (F) | T152 |
“—” in Country = to confirm. Edit any cell as scores update through the round.
Asterisk Talley — USA • Even-par 71
The headliner of the amateur class. The 17-year-old from Chowchilla, Calif., and U.S. National Junior Team member qualified at Richmond CC as medalist and low amateur, winning by five. She is making her third consecutive U.S. Women's Open start and shared low-amateur honors as a 15-year-old in 2024; she was also runner-up at the 2024 U.S. Girls' Junior and U.S. Women's Amateur and a 2026 Augusta National Women's Amateur runner-up. Even par keeps her squarely in the low-am race.
Maria José Marin, Paula Francisco Liáño & Aphrodite Deng — 1 under
The three amateurs at the top of the non-pro standings after Round 1, each at 1 under and tied for 14th overall. Francisco Liáño earned her spot through qualifying at Wilderness CC in Naples. [ADD BIO DETAIL: Marin — Colombia / Arkansas; Deng — Canada junior background; Francisco Liáño — Spain.]
Veronika Kedronova & Nellie Ong — the New Albany pair
The college standouts who delivered a rare 2-for-2 amateur sweep at the New Albany (Ohio) qualifier. Kedronova (Kent State, Czech Republic) was medalist and is making her major championship debut; Ong (Ohio State sophomore, England) finished three clear of a tie for third. Both are inside the early amateur top 16.
The qualifying medalists in the mix
Several amateurs arrived at Riviera on the back of strong qualifying runs: Meja Örtengren (Sweden, Corral de Tierra co-medalist), Zoe Cusack and Addie Dobson (USNJT-tied Meadowbrook co-medalists at 5 under), Thanana Kotchasanmanee (Springfield, Va. medalist), Sofia Rivera (Sugar Mill medalist), Jie-En Lin (sole Honolulu qualifier), and Sarah Hammett (Arizona CC, the first amateur medalist of the entire qualifying cycle). Athena Singh, a high-school senior and Houston signee, won a playoff at Briar Ridge to get here.
| Venue | The Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, Calif. |
| Dates | June 4–7, 2026 |
| Yardage / Par | 6,699 yards / Par 71 |
| Architect | George Thomas Jr. (with William Bell), 1926 — celebrating its centennial |
| Field | 156 competitors, including 24 amateurs |
| Cut | Low 60 and ties after 36 holes |
| Playoff | Two-hole aggregate, then sudden death |
| Defending Champion | Maja Stark (Sweden), 2025 at Erin Hills |
| Champion Receives | The Mickey Wright Medal and custody of the Harton S. Semple Trophy |
| Historical Note | First major women's championship ever conducted at Riviera; first U.S. Women's Open in Greater Los Angeles |
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