Asterisk Talley, Lunden Esterline Lead Entering Final Round of 2025 Junior PGA Championships

“It would mean everything.”

Leaders Asterisk Talley and Lunden Esterline gave the same answer when asked what it would mean to win the 49th Junior PGA Championships. With one more round Friday at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex, that dream is 18 holes closer to reality.

A third round that saw wet and windy conditions on the Ackerman-Allen Course after starting with a two-hour weather delay ended with No. 2 AJGA-ranked junior Talley leading the Girls Division while Esterline leads the Boys by seven shots.

The No. 14-ranked female amateur in the world, Talley (12-under 202) takes a two-stroke lead into the final round after posting a steady 2-under 69 Thursday. After opening strong with birdies on the par-4 1st and par-5 2nd holes, the Chowchilla, California, native went even-par the rest of the round, including a stretch of birdie-bogey-birdie-bogey on holes 8-11.

“The course definitely played a little longer with the showers earlier today,” said Talley, who was the runner-up at the 2025 Augusta National Women's Amateur. “The course definitely was playing a little harder. No one really went super low today, but I just couldn't really be mad with my round. I made some good putts out there and saved some shots where it could have been a lot worse.”

Talley, who finished in a tie for fourth during last year’s Junior PGA Championships at Congressional Country Club, remains focused heading into Friday’s final round.

“[I’m looking forward to] getting to play this course one more time, just getting to get out there,” said Talley. “A four-day event, it definitely has the feel of Sunday pressure and it's just going to be super fun.”

Zoe Cusack, from Potomac, Maryland, was 3-under through 14 holes Thursday with a one-stroke lead before a triple bogey on the par-4 15th slowed her momentum. The rising high school senior, who entered the day tied with Talley for the lead, enters the final round two shots back at 10-under 204.

“I played really solid,” said Cusack, who finished her round at even-par 71. “I really just had one bad shot that led to a big number, but other than that, I was really happy with my round.”

The wet course and wind slowed many in the Girls Division Thursday, with just 15 players finishing with rounds under par. Sahana Chokshi, from Jacksonville, Florida, carded a 5-under 66 to claim the low round by three strokes.

“It played a lot tougher,” said Cusack. “Scores were a lot higher. The wind made some holes play longer than usual, and it was really wet, so you weren't getting much roll. But it was definitely harder than the past few days.”

China’s Ying Xu (1-under 70) and North Carolina’s Elizabeth Rudisill (even-par 71) are tied for third at 8-under 206, followed by six players tied for fifth at 5-under 209.

As the Boys teed off in the afternoon, Esterline knew it would be hard to follow up a round for the ages, his 10-under 62 Wednesday that tied a course record.

“I was really just trying not to butcher it really badly, honestly, coming after a round like that,” said Esterline. “I just didn't want to play terribly.”

All the Andover, Kansas, native did Thursday was come out and shoot another bogey-free round, this time finishing 5-under 66. Not terrible at all.

“I just hit the ball really solid,” said Esterline. “My driver was really grooving today, I hit a lot of fairways. I think I missed two greens, both on the back nine, got up and down, so everything was just kind of falling together.”

Now bogey-free since his 13th hole of the first round — Ackerman-Allen’s par-4, 4th — Esterline moves to 19-under 195 and takes a commanding seven-shot lead into the final round.

“I'm just looking forward to playing again, getting back out there,” Esterline said when asked about his focus with such a large lead. “I think it's just worrying about staying in the moment and not worrying about anyone else, just myself and playing my game.”

He’ll be joined in the final group by two players tied at 12-under 202: Pennson Badgett from Pilot Mountain, North Carolina (4-under 67) and Charlie Woods from Jupiter, Florida, a name familiar to most golf fans. Woods, who has attracted crowds all week, posted his second consecutive round of 66 after carding nine birdies to keep him in the hunt.

“It was pretty up and down, but nine birdies is pretty good,” said Woods, who won the 2025 Team TaylorMade Invitational in May. “Had a couple of three-putts, I made a few mistakes today, but overall a pretty solid round, and I'm in a good position going into tomorrow.”

“I just enjoy being out there and having fun, playing well,” the 16-year old added. “Hopefully I have a good chance of winning tomorrow.”

Three players are tied for fourth at 11-under 203: Ayden Fynaut of Fresno, California (6-under 65); Tyler Mawhinney of Fleming Island, Florida (5-under 66); and Zenghao Hou of Beijing, China (3-under 68).

The winner and runner-up from both the Girls and Boys Divisions at the Junior PGA Championships will earn positions on the 2025 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team, provided they are eligible to represent the U.S. and are members of the high school graduating class of 2026 or younger.

If there is a tie for second in either division between eligible players, a hole-by-hole playoff will take place immediately following play to determine the runner-up spots on the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team.

The 2025 Junior Ryder Cup will be contested September 23-25 at Nassau Country Club and Bethpage Black in New York.

“I've had good pairings all three days. I played with Anna Fang and Ryleigh Knaub the first two days and we've known each other for a long time. Then I played with Elizabeth (Rudisill) today. I've never played with Zoe (Cusack) before, but she was super cool. It was a fun round today, and we had a chill, relaxed around.” -Asterisk Talley, on her experience this week

“It was pretty wet, but we played it up, so that it wasn't that big of a deal, I didn't think. The wind died down at the end of the round so it was pretty nice out actually.” -Lunden Esterline, on the afternoon conditions

Five junior golfers from the host state of Indiana and the Indiana PGA Section made the 54-hole cut and will play in tomorrow’s final round.

Taylor Snively (Zionsville, Indiana), who led the Girls Division after the first round, is currently tied for 19th overall at 2-under 212.

Sam Carraher (Crown Point, Indiana), who is committed to play at Purdue University, is seventh overall in the Boys Division at 10-under 204. The other boys from Indiana to make the final cut are T-16: Luke Johnston (Evansville, Indiana), 7-under 207; T-22: Silas Haarer (Middlebury, Indiana), 5-under 209; and T-26: Samuel Harris (Charlestown, Indiana), 4-under 210.