The wild way the new Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion is thinking of celebrating her victory

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Kansas State women’s coach Stew Burke calls Carla Bernat Escuder the hardest working player he has ever come across. And all that hard work paid off on Saturday when the 21-year-old Spaniard rallied during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, shooting a closing 68 to claim a one-shot victory over Asterisk Talley.

Bernat Escuder impressed with her shot-making ability, carding birdies on all four par 5s on a sunny but calm Saturday at Augusta National. And she did it while wearing out a hybrid club she has in her bag, using it to reach the second, eighth and 13th greens in two, then two-putting for her red 4s.

And the few times she missed, she had answers. After birdies on the eighth and ninth holes to take the lead at 11 under par at the turn, Bernat Escuder made a clutch up and down on the par-4 10th to maintain her momentum. And after a bogey on the 17th hole that saw her lead narrow to one shot, she hit the green in regulation on the 18th but needed to hole a testy five-footer for par and the victory. When she made the knee-knocker, she became the first Spaniard to claim the ANWA title, finishing at 12-under 204 for the tournament.

“I cannot process that I won yet,” Bernat Escuder said. “I mean, it's really nice to see that after a cold winter that we had and hard days going to the golf course and showing up, it means everything to win this tournament. It's also such an honor.”

Having started the final round two shots back of 2024 ANWA champion Lottie Woad, Bernat Escuder knew she needed to make things happen if she was going to come out on top. She had the benefit of playing in the same pairing with a fellow Spaniard, Andrea Revuelta. “We had good vibes going out there,” Revuelta said.

“She played incredible. Didn't miss one shot. She also played with so much … didn't play defensive. She played aggressive. She hit the 13th on two and hit incredible shots all over the 18 holes. So I'm so happy for her. She played great and she's a great player.”

As she walked to the clubhouse to sign her scorecard, Bernat Escuder was greeted by another Spaniard, two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal. He congratulated her on her triumph while giving the new ANWA winner a chance to make up for a mistake she made a previous time they spoke with each other.

“It means everything because he's such a symbol for Spain," Bernat Escuder said. "I was really nervous because last year I saw him after playing and I called him the wrong last name. I said Larrazabal instead of Olazábal. He's like, that's not me. And I'm like, I'm sorry.”

So how would the grateful champion celebrate the hard-fought victory? Well, let’s just say she’s contemplating an ultra-modern way to commemorate the achievement.

“Just probably go to dinner with all the people that came to watch me. I kind of want to stay here to watch the Masters, but I don't know if I will be able. And maybe a tattoo. We'll see.”

And what kind of tattoo might she get?

“I was thinking maybe the flower of Augusta, but I need to decide on that. It's a big decision.”

A big decision indeed. Just like this was a big win in her career.