Carla Bernat Becomes First Spanish Woman to Win Augusta Women's Masters

Carla Bernat joined the ranks of Severiano Ballesteros, José María Olazabal, Sergio García, and John Rahm on Saturday by becoming the first Spanish woman to win the Augusta Women's Masters. The 21-year-old from Castellón made a grand entrance into the tournament's history, which began six years ago, by carding a 68 in the final round, matching her scores from the previous two days. This performance earned her a trophy that elevates her as the new sensation in Spanish golf.

Carla Bernat's six birdies and two bogeys in the final round secured her a total of 12 under par at the Augusta Masters, one stroke ahead of American Asterisk Talley, who finished second, and three strokes ahead of England's Lottie Woad, who came third. The impressive performance of Spanish golf in Augusta was rounded off by Madrid's Andrea Revuelta, who finished fourth with 8 under par, and Carolina López-Chacarra, who placed ninth with six under par.

It was third time lucky for Carla Bernat, who, after two previous attempts at a tournament that every golfer dreams of, achieved glory on Saturday by demonstrating the composure necessary to claim the title. "I played very well. It's incredible. I feel like I'm on the moon. I knew the tournament started from the 10th hole, but my assistant coach gave me a lot of confidence," said the Castellón native after completing a feat that places her name alongside other Spanish women's golf figures like Carlota Ciganda, Ana Pelaez Triviño, Nuria Iturrioz, and Azahara Muñoz.

A student at Kansas State University, Carla Bernat arrived at Augusta after receiving an invitation extended to the top 72 amateur female golfers worldwide. She had to finish among the top 30 at the Champions Retreat, a course located 22 kilometers from Augusta National, to compete at the legendary venue that hosts the tournament. Once there, she began Saturday's round one stroke behind the leaders but surged ahead midway through the round after birdies on the 8th and 9th holes, seizing the opportunity to make history.

Although she couldn't don the coveted green jacket, a privilege reserved for the winner of the men's professional tournament to be held next week, Carla Bernat was euphoric after securing the first victory by a Spanish woman at the Augusta Masters and the seventh by a representative of our country, following the triumphs of Severiano Ballesteros in 1980 and 1983, José María Olazabal in 1994 and 1999, Sergio García in 2017, and Jon Rahm in 2023. The Castellón native follows in the footsteps of previous female champions such as Americans Rose Zhang, Jennifer Kupcho, and Anna Davis, Japan's Kajitani, and England's Lottie Woad, who have all won the tournament, which was established just seven years after the Augusta National Golf Club lifted its ban on female members.