Solid start for Coulter in Augusta National Women’s Amateur
Maria Jose Marin of Colombia reacts to her birdie on the ninth green at Champions Retreat. Picture:Augusta National Women's Amateur
Beth Coulter opened with a one-under 71 at Champions Retreat to lie six shots off the lead but inside the projected cut mark at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
The Co Down star (22) was tied for 23rd behind University of Arkansas junior Maria Jose Marin and 17-year-old Korean Soomin Oh.
They fired bogey-free, seven-under 65s on Wednesday to share the first-round lead at the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, one stroke clear of a trio of players at six-under 66.
Starting on the back nine, Marin carded early birdies at Nos. 12 and 15 before three straight at Nos. 18, 1 and 2.
After a string of pars, Marin birdied her final two holes to set the pace at seven under.
Marin, the No. 7 amateur in the world, has a win and nine top-10 finishes this season for Arkansas. She earned co-medalist honors in the Clemson Invitational three days ago.
Marin is making her fourth appearance start in the Augusta National Women's Amateur, with her best finish coming in 2023 (T-14).
“I feel like last year gave me a lot of -- it was a lot of learning,” Marin said. “There was a lot of tears, and of course this tournament means a lot to me.
“Not making the cut, it hurt a lot. But I learned that I've got to stay with my two feet on the ground, that I have to be really patient with my game, that if things are not going my way, I don't have to push it, that I just have to wait for golf to do its thing.
“This start, it gives me a lot of confidence going into tomorrow, and heading into the final round we'll see what happens, but it gives me a lot of confidence."
"It means a lot because this tournament is the 72 best players in the world, and everyone is good here. Everyone comes with the same objective in mind; it's to win or to go to Augusta.
“Yeah, it just means that my game is in a good spot, that I'm doing the right things, and that I've got to keep doing what I'm doing."
Soomin Oh started off strong with five birdies in her first nine holes, including three straight at Nos. 7, 8 and 9.
Two more birdies late in the afternoon on Nos. 14 and 18 led to a share of the lead with Marin at the top going into the second round at Champions Retreat.
Oh has finished runner-up in three tournaments this year, including the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific in New Zealand, Chinese Taipei Women's Amateur and the Ladies European Tour's Women's New South Wales Open.
The No. 10 amateur in the world missed the cut in her debut at the Augusta National Women's Amateur in 2025.
"I think my driving was really good and my putting was really good,” Oh said. "I love the course because all of the par 5s I can hit it on in 2 and it's easier to make the birdies."
"I'm trying not to [set] expectations on myself, not [be] greedy, and just relax and focus on one shot at a time."
Miscellaneous
Wednesday's scoring average (72.22) was the lowest for any round in the history of the Augusta National Women's Amateur. The first round scoring average has gone down every year since 2021. Nine players earned bogey-free rounds on Wednesday, setting a new record. There were also 31 players who broke par in the first round, a new record.
The top eight players on the leader board represent seven different countries: Colombia, South Korea, Canada, the United States, Spain, Australia and Sweden.
Canadian Vanessa Borovilos' round of six-under 66 is the lowest first round by a first-time participant in the history of the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Borovilos is a four-time Drive, Chip and Putt National Finalist and the 2018 National Champion (Girls 10-11).
Asterisk Talley holed a bunker shot for an eagle at the par-5 18th on Wednesday. The eagle was the eighth at the 18th hole in the history of the Augusta National Women's Amateur.
World No. 1 Kiara Romero opened in two-under 70 to sit T-15. Past champion Anna Davis (2022) carded a one-under 71 and is T-23.
The second round will continue Thursday at Champions Retreat with live coverage on Golf Channel from 1:30-3:30 p.m. ET.
Following completion of the second round, a cut will be made with the top 30 players and ties advancing to Saturday’s final round at Augusta National.
