Carla Bernat Escuder leans on her Spanish roots to win Augusta National Women's Amateur

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Carla Bernat Escuder wasn't worried about anyone behind her, only those who were ahead. Thanks to a flop shot she only recently mastered, birdies on all the par 5s and a nervy 4-foot par putt to finish, the Spaniard stood alone at the Augusta National Women's Amateur.

Bernat Escuder rallied from a two-shot deficit against defending champion Lottie Woad and held off a late charge from teenager Asterisk Talley, closing with a 4-under 68 to add to the Spanish heritage at the home of the Masters.

“As of right now, I don’t think my brain has processed that I won,” said Bernat Escuder, a senior at Kansas State.

She grew up in the same region as Masters champion Sergio Garcia, and his father still coaches and encourages her. She was so nervous meeting two-time champion Jose Maria Olazabal last year that she got his name wrong.

Key to this win was U.S. Amateur champion Jose Luis Ballester — also from Castellon — who makes his Masters debut this week. They have been friends since age 7, and she went to him with help on her chipping.

It paid off in a big way with her flop shot from a dangerous spot right of the 10th green, setting up a par that kept her momentum all the way to end.

She left her approach right of the bunker, with the golf ball slightly above her feet. Bernat Escuder hit a marvelous flop shot to 12 feet and holed the par putt.

“If there was one shot that you’re going to need the hands back to hit it higher, as he tells me, it’s this one,” she said. “So yeah, I appreciate that tip.”

She has watched the Masters enough to have ingrained in her mind that it doesn't start until the back nine. And there she was, leading by one after a 33 on the front nine and starting at a probably bogey until her flop shot came off beautifully.

The 10th hole was more pivotal than she realized.

Woad was looking to become the first back-to-back winner of the Augusta National Women's Amateur. She was tied for the lead with Kiara Romero going into the final group, birdied the first hole and led by two early. But it all came undone on the 10th.

From the fairway, she was aggressive with her approach and tugged the shot left and over the green, into a bush. Woad had to take a penalty drop, chipped on and missed the putt, giving her a double bogey and leaving her three shots behind.

“I put a good swing on it, it was just the wrong club,” said Woad, who went with a 5-iron. “Thought it was meant to be into the wind, and off the downslope it came out a bit too flat, so probably should have just hit one less club. Then got in an unfortunate position, so probably was always going to make 6 from there.”

She had to chase, just like a year ago when she delivered a memorable back-nine charge. This time, she could only manage two birdies and closed with a 72 to finish third.

“Pretty frustrated,” Woad said.

The charge came from Talley, the U.S. Women's Amateur and U.S. Junior Girls runner-up, who began the final round by holing out from the first fairway for eagle.

Coming off a birdie at the 16th to get to within three shots, Talley hit a remarkable recovery from under the pines left of the 17th fairway. The ball stayed under the limbs and rolled up along the edge of the bunker, using all of the slope to get to about 18 feet behind the hole.

Instead of scrambling for par, she holed the putt for birdie to give herself a chance.

Talley, however, was too strong with her approach on the 18th, leaving the ball on the top tier with the hole some 40 feet away in its typical Masters Sunday location. She did well to two-putt for par and a 68.

“I was just trying to shoot my score and having a lot of fun,” Talley said.

In the group behind was Bernat Escuder, who also was in the trees on the 17th, put it in a bunker and made bogey. That cut her lead to one shot with one hole to play.

The Spaniard found the fairway, also hit onto the top tier and navigated a 4-foot par putt to finish at 12-under 204 and claim what already has become as prestigious as any women's amateur event in the world.

Eila Galitsky started seven shots behind, shot 31 on the front nine and closed with the low round of the day at 66 to tie for fourth with Catherine Park (67).

How to celebrate? Bernat Escuder planned a nice dinner with her coach and all her support.

“And maybe a tattoo. We’ll see,” she said. “I was thinking maybe the flower of Augusta, but I need to decide on that. It’s a big decision.”

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Asterisk Talley hits on the 13th hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, plays the 11th hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Asterisk Talley hits on the 13th hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, hits on the 12th hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, celebrates after winning the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, poses with the trophy after winning the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Asterisk Talley hits from the second tee during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Asterisk Talley reacts after hitting on the first hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Lottie Woad, of England, follows her shot on the fourth green during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Lottie Woad, of England, lines up her shot on the 12th green during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, pumps her fist after making her shot on the 15th green during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, walks across the bridge along the 13th fairway during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, celebrates after winning the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Carla Bernat Escuder, of Spain, follows her shot from the 18th fairway during the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur golf tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt York)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)