That was a big deal, she says, laughing. She was named byAmerican Junior Golf Associationas the 2019 Girls Rolex Junior Player of the Year. In 2019, Zhang was one of the youngest competitors in the Augusta National Women's Amateur. An Irvine teen has risen to No. The day-to-day grind caught up with Zhang around the beginning of the year, when she battled tendinitis in her arm and wrist. His list of players include a PGA Tour Champion, a LPGA Tour Champion, an USGA Champion, 2-NCAA All-Americans, and 31 Polo Junior All-Americans. 19. I was always very into my golf game and didnt really have time to talk to other people. Ive always told Rose, if you can take care of the golf ball, everything else will take care of itself. Walker credits Pinnell for not only being a swing coach but a mentor, too. Personal life [ edit] Zhang was born in Arcadia, California and resides in Irvine, California. The Irvine, Calif., resident has committed to enroll at Stanford University in the fall of 2021. In nine college rounds, the Irvine, Calif., native has shot par or better eight times, is a collective 23 under par and has an impressive stroke average of 69.11. The fact that you will drive all the way to The Olympic Club, in San Francisco and back, proves that you are a real champion deserving of all the accolades, titles and trophies that your players win. I learned a lot more about the real world, she said. Rose Zhang initially thought tennis would be her calling. Players field: 43 of top 50 in OWGR, no Tiger, CL: Few devils in details of Tour's event restructure, Rahm falters with 76 in wind: 'It's f**king hard', Pod: Blessings, Colonial, & remembering Sykes, Day after Pebble record, Zhang wins fall opener, Zhang low am; likely headed back to Stanford. And not only does he teach my daughter golf skills, he also coaches her on mental guidance and how to be a better person. If she heard me say that, shed be furious at me.. Working with you has been an amazing opportunity. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. 2023 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. She won the NCAA Regional for an eighth victory, then finished T-2 at the NCAA Championship. The writers gathered round laughed too. The information and support he gives to his players is really valuable. The tournament is open to any players age 13-19 who meet the eligibility requirements and are not yet affiliated with a college golf team. Terms of Service She competed in the 2019 U.S. Women's Open at 16 years of age. But her achievements havenot come without routine discipline and a dedicated work ethic, and Zhang has honed in on what her keys are to success. Zhangs father was on the bag during her low-am run at the 2020 ANA and her U.S. Women's Amateur win. Shes competing in her third Girls Junior PGA Championship an event she won in 2017 and finished as runner-up last year which gets underway Tuesday at Keney Park Golf Course in Hartford, Conn. Its a far cry from where Zhangs competitive golf career began, as a 10-year-old on the Southern California PGA Junior Development Tour. She cites her putting game as one of her strengths. I showcased this inspiration almost immediately after receiving the award when I won the Rolex Tournament of Champions to start off 2020. Girls' Junior Am. Coach George has been a critical factor for my daughter, Angie Zhang, in her golf pursuit. Unlike sports such as soccer and basketball, golf has a steep start-up cost before you even arrive at the range with equipment. Zhang headed to the range afterwards, took slow practice swings to sync up her tempo and reviewed her fundamentals. Having spent her youth dabbling in other sports like . Through her slowed-down swings, Zhang realized that she was taking the club back too inside which was causing her to miss shots. He was in the inaugural class inducted into the Santa Ana Unified School District Sports Hall of Fame. It helps make me relax and believe in what I do, she says. Shes too busy self-correcting. Zhang has played her first nine rounds of college golf in in 23 under par, with an average score of 69.1. Statistics. 2023 Rose Zhang won the U.S. 8 Georgia, 1up, Won her semifinal match vs. No. She did not hit one shot on the range. He writes a weekly column on the county high school sports scene and also covers games and writes features. Steve does concert reviews for the Register, too, when time permits. Now Im going to Seattle University on a golf scholarship, I can certainly say that Ive grow a tremendous amount as an athlete in the golf game and as a wholesome individual because of his genuine care and teachings. Privacy Policy. It was tough to sit down and take a break to rest my wrist and arm. Point average. I spent time last year with Dave when he, myself and Martin Vousden visited the late Bill Robertsons widow Caroline. LPGA TourMi Hyun KimHyun Hee MoonShi Hyun AhnAra KohIrene ChoRussy GulyanamittaHana KimSarah LeeJi Young LeeNa On MinAngela ParkAnna RawsonSung Ah Yim, Mini TourRyan CarterAndrew PatipaksiriLalita Patipaksiri, Japanese PGA TourJay Choi WinnerDavid Oh, Cactus Tour / Symetra TourJoy TrotterLalita Patipaksiri, Top AmateursKristen Park- USGA ChampionHenna ChoPatty ChawalithmethaRoy KimTiffany Lua UCLA & 2 time Curtis Cup Player. And I think she knows that. From all indications, Rose Zhang has adjusted well to college life. He knows how to encourage golfers to face the challenges and he knows everything about the growth of a good junior golfer in the process. 2017 Junior PGA Championship, Junior Americas Cup, 2018 ANA Junior Inspiration, Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational, The PING Invitational, 2019 Toyota Junior World Cup, Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational, Rolex Tournament of Champions. Since receiving those text messages full of advanced golf questions, Pinnell has had an idea of Zhangs potential. He also teaches parents some advanced ideas about golf and how to become a good parent of a good golfer. If I had a coach like you, I would give everything I have to fight for victories. Amateur, but the first to win the Amateur before the Junior, Won the 2020Rolex Girls Junior Championship, 2020 ANA Inspiration Low Amateur, breaking Michelle Wie's scoring record (T11th), 2019 winner at the Toyota Junior World Cup, Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational and Rolex Tournament of Champions, Represented Team USA at the 2019 Junior Solheim Cup and Pan-American Games, Four-time Curtis Cup Player of the Year for Southern California. For a player who easily grasps big-picture perspectives, the value of a back-up plan surely isnt lost on her. The day-to-day grind caught up withZhang around the beginning of theyear, whenshe battled tendinitis in her arm and wrist. After several minutes she threw the club back in the bag and told her father Ive got it and that it was time to have a nice dinner and rest. My daughter Alice ziyi Zhao is lucky and proud to have George Pinnell as her golf coach, she likes his teaching very much. Coming from that week, I learned a lot, and could gain more improvement on my game. This will be Zhang's second U.S. Women's Open start. she improved much under his good teaching and is on the way to succeed as a junior golfer step by step. LPGA TourMi Hyun KimHyun Hee MoonShi Hyun AhnAra KohIrene ChoRussy GulyanamittaHana KimSarah LeeJi Young LeeNa On MinAngela ParkAnna RawsonSung Ah Yim, Mini TourRyan CarterAndrew PatipaksiriLalita Patipaksiri, Japanese PGA TourJay Choi WinnerDavid Oh, Cactus Tour / Symetra TourJoy TrotterLalita Patipaksiri, Top AmateursKristen Park- USGA ChampionHenna ChoPatty ChawalithmethaRoy KimTiffany Lua UCLA & 2 time Curtis Cup Player. He asked Ko if he could introduce Zhang to her and snap a few photos of the pair. That was on full display when she came up one shot short of a playoff at Augusta National, watching a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th slide right of the hole. She has a lot of great opportunities and when she has those opportunities she has the mental fortitude to stay patient, stay calm, stay focussed. This is where I think some of the best teaching happens. Rose Zhang makes it three in a row at Stanford Intercollegiate. We appreciate your high standards, your persistence, your encouragement, and your sense of humor. And we spend a lot of time on fundamentals: swing plane, club path and positions at the top, which is very important to get club back on plane. we learned a lot from him. 1-ranked amateur in the world to turn professional. Zhang started playing when she was 9 after she picked up one of her dads golf clubs and took a swing. On a school day, practice begins for Zhang at 2:30 p.m. and ends at 7:30, consisting of 200-300 golf balls on the range and an hour each for chipping and putting. My first lesson with George was 3 years ago. She feels she has a tremendous amount of learning to do, even though shes way ahead. Rose Zhang has also been No. The Irvine, California native has just won the Stanford Intercollegiate by four shots after rounds of 65, 65 and 67 for a 16-under 197 to tie teammate Rachel Heck for Stanford's 54-hole scoring record. Not only did the Irvine, Calif., native learn the importance of flushing a bad shot, she discovered how important it is to remain composed when television cameras are around. Through her slowed-down swings, Zhang realized that she was taking the club back too inside which was causing her to miss shots. He helps me stay driven.. George has been a critical part of my development as a player both physically and mentally as he has provided me great advice not only in golf but in life as well. True, so lets not hand the precocious teenager a trophy cabinet full of major silverware just yet. Thanks for everything George. He has high expectations for me and he sacrificed a lot of time and effort for me. Win or lose, when Zhang walks away from Team USA and returns to the usual isolating amateur summer, spending hours alone in the confines of her mind, a new Rose Zhang will emerge. With the technology and his ability to analyze my swing effectively, my game has really improved greatly in each stage of junior and amateur golf. Her father is her part-time caddie. For us, Coach George Pinnell has been the best coach ever to help my daughter Alesia Barry succeed as a junior golfer. Its a rapid rise Pinnell wishes he could credit to his own coaching. But when I'm ready, I think I will know it when I'm ready.. She jumped in with LPGA Hall of Fame champ Patty Sheehan. 2022 won her fifth college tournament at the Carmel Cup setting a Pebble Beach Golf Links Womens record with a 63. Tiger Woods played two years at Stanford. Stanford star Rose Zhang continued an impressive year on the course when she won the Smyth Salver at the AIG Women's Open. Within 10 minutes, I had it, Zhang told her coach after the tournament. Have we seen the future of womens golf, and is her name Rose Zhang? They pile into a car, driven by Henry, and usually head to the course in silence. I got to test my game against them, Zhang said, so that was certainly a special experience.. George has been a critical part of my development as a player both physically and mentally as he has provided me great advice not only in golf but in life as well. She won the 2020 U.S. Women's Amateur and the 2022 NCAA Division I Championship. But she doesnt like to hear that. Rose Zhang - Women's Golf - Stanford University Athletics Skip To Main Content Pause All Rotators Skip To Main Content Stanford Athletics Main Navigation Menu Men's Sports Baseball Basketball Cross Country Fencing Football Golf Gymnastics Sailing Soccer Swimming and Diving Tennis Track and Field Volleyball Water Polo Women's Sports She losther lead after a second-round75 on the challenging Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He has helped her get to a place where she can focus on what she needs to do. George graciously took her in and then trained her with his life-lessons, his advanced technology equipment, skillful instructions, and star-student- role-model setting. They will join Neighbours icons Stefan Dennis, Alan Fletcher, Ryan Moloney, and Jackie Woodburne, who were already confirmed as back on board for the reboot. Phil Mickelson won three NCAA titles at ASU. She played with Bronte Law, Atthaya Thitikul and Angel Yin. He'll return for her title defense in the latter, which begins Monday at Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York. In this time of Thanksgiving, we want to express our appreciation for you. Her game is clearly ready for that next step. A. Zhang has also signed with Amundi, Beats, Uswing and Paradox. But remember the name: Zhang looks like the real deal. Women used to not be allowed to even practice there.. But composure has hardly been a struggle for Zhang. It's been a great month of golf for me so far thanks to George Pinnell! Zhang began playing golf at age 9 and now, at 18, is the best amateur player in the world. The last couple days weve seen really nice crowds coming out to watch them play. Watching her overall, the big word that I take away is the sheer joy of watching a very patient player. Zhang enrolled at Pacific Academy to start her seventh-grade year. They have done wonders for me, Zhang said of Pacific Academys teachers and staff. She competed in the 2019 U.S. Women's Open at 16 years of age. 1-ranked amateur womens golfer on Earth. Amateur Championships in August, battling a left wrist injury that had her considering withdrawing from the tournament at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md. She finished as the runner-up and arrived on a red-eye flight to South Carolina on Tuesday, two days before the major began. She won the 2020 U.S. Women's Amateur and the 2022 NCAA Division I Championship. That event was definitely very hard, Zhang said. . You are a fighter with a kind and big heart to create miracles in your players. I learned so much in so short a time while spending time with you at The Open. Zhangs desire to focus on the process and not the results; her ability to zone in on her fundamentals, to be in total sync with her game; the caliber and quality of people with whom she surrounds herself, all boils down to one person Zhangs father, Henry. Before our friend referred us to Coach George, Angie was at a standstill and shot in the upper 80s and even 90s with consistent back pain after her freshman Fall season in December 2019. the U.S. Girls Junior Amateur title in July, Heck won five straight tournaments to cap her freshman year in the spring. But what does it actually take to reach this levelof achievement? Pinnell, like so many others, believes Zhang could be a generational type of player:I think that is in her veins.. Rose Zhang has also been No. Dave looked hale and healthy and said he still played golf a few times a week. Steve Fryer covers high school sports at the Orange County Register. Rose Zhang of the Stanford Cardinal celebrates with teammates after winning the individual national title during the 2023 Division I Women's Golf Championship held at the Grayhawk Golf Club. During my first few classes, George already corrected nearly unnoticeable but very crucial mistakes in just my set up that I had never even realized. Zhang began playing golf at age 9 and now, at 18, is the best amateur player in the world. Someday she hopes to play on the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour. He is really good at reading players minds, so be prepared to communicate. She then clinched Stanfords second NCAA team title by winning the final match, 3 and 1. Rose Zhang overcame a shaky front nine to shoot a 3-over 75 on Monday, capping her stellar freshman season by becoming Stanford's second straight individual NCAA champion. https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2019/07/09/rose-zhang-golf-amateur-us-womens-open-lpga/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, No. Shes more golf genius than I realised, but that doesnt surprise me., Her patience is unreal. The information and support he gives to his players is really valuable. She also sets difficult challenges for herself, which include making 100 4-foot putts in a row, so when I play in tournaments Ive already been in a competitive game mode, Zhang explained. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The worlds number woman amateur has wasted no time in living up to that billing in her debut season in the tough grind that is American college golf. I just think that college is the place where I'll be able to play even better, shoot better scores and mature as a person and character. 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When shes not golfing, she can be found doing homework, surfing the web, watching Chinese variety shows and hanging out with friends. If Stanford is to repeat as NCAA champion, it may have to do so without one of its best players. Zhang made the final round and finished 17th. We appreciate your high standards, your persistence, your encouragement, and your sense of humor. 34. However, Zhang looks like she could step onto the LPGA Tour right now and make an impact. Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. On a school day, practice begins for Zhang at 2:30 p.m. and ends at 7:30, consisting of 200-300 golf balls on the range and an hour each for chipping and putting. Golfweekrecently caught up with Heather Daly-Donofrio, a former LPGA player and tour executive who leads the program. (Photo courtesy of Stanford). Theyve given me a flexible schedule to work with and when I come back from a tournament they help me catch up.. Steve Burkowski and Brentley Romine debrief after some dominant performances at Blessings and Colonial before paying tribute to the late Richard Sykes. If youve ever played at Oak Creek Golf Club, you may have seen her out on the course. Im confident I have a chance, she says. She won the U.S. Women's Amateur title in. Only one American has earned LPGA Player of the Year honors since 1994 and that was Arkansas graduate Stacy Lewis in 2012 and 2014. Rose Zhang, who is the top-ranked junior golfer, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Rose Zhang, who is the top-ranked junior golfer in the world and a student at Irvines Pacific Academy, signs with Stanford, Orange County scores and player stats for Saturday, March 4, Orange County girls water polo Top 10: Orange Lutheran finishes No. This is the first tournament of the2023 Golfweek Junior Tournament Series. We are so lucky to be working with a truly talented coach. I really enjoyed everything about Stanford. As George Pinnell received more and more text messages from Rose Zhang, full of advanced questions about golf, he grew more and more confused. Zhang arrived at Stanford with a string of amateur accomplishments to her name to match what Woods achieved in the unpaid game. Junior Rachel Heck, the 2021 NCAA individual champion . He not only teaches Alice the skill of golf technology , but also he teaches her mental guidance and how to become a good player. She has interests in business and management but remains undecided on a major. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) "A lot of us want a little more than just golf," said Stanford sophomore Angelina Ye, who finished 15th and walked most of the back nine with Zhang. Her father has been with her every step of the way and has been very instrumental for Rose on her mental outlook on the game and on life, said Pinnell. And after some lessons, she entered a nine-hole tournament to test her game. As Georges student for the past 6 years, to say that he has helped my golf game is an understatement. The fact that you will drive all the way to The Olympic Club, in San Francisco and back, proves that you are a real champion deserving of all the accolades, titles and trophies that your players win. The 16-year-old phenom is a junior at Pacific Academy in Irvine, where she holds a 4.6 GPA, which is all the more amazing since she missed 50 days of school last year for tournaments. At the2019 Pan American Games, she was on the winning U.S.mixed-gender teamand placed eighth in theindividual competition. I am definitely extremely grateful and blessed to have him as a coach, mentor, and friend. 1-ranked amateur in Septemberafter finishing T-11 at the ANA Inspiration. George has given me a tremendous amount of help with all parts of the game including the swing, short game and putting as well as the mental part of my game. Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaire, Scoring average: 69.68 (NCAA single season record), Wins: 4 (2021 Molly Intercollegiate, 2021 Windy City Collegiate, 2021 Stanford Intercollegiate, 2022 NCAA Championships), Low round: -8 (2022 Juli Inkster Invitational 3rd Round, 64), Low tournament: -16 (2021 Stanford Intercollegiate), 1st at the Molly Intercollegiate (73-72-68=213, -3), 1st at the Windy City Collegiate (72-70-70=212, -4), 1st at the Stanford Intercollegiate (65-65-67=197, -16), Tied for 4th at the Lamkin Invitational (69-73-75=217, +1), 2nd at the Gunrock Invitational (66-68-68-202, -14), 2nd at the Juli Inkster Invitational (72-69-64-205, -11), Tied for 10th at the Ping/ASU Invitational (70-69-64=213, -3), 2nd at the Pac-12 Championships (69-70-66=205, -8), 2nd at the NCAA Stanford Regional (69-70-66=205, -8), 1st at the NCAA Championships (68-70-69-75=282, -6), Lost her quarterfinal match vs. No. Tempo is biggest thing for her. What characteristics about Zhang make her stand out from her competition? Not the case with Pinnell, who spends a lot of time with Zhangworking on structure in the golf swing. She made just two bogeys over 54 holes en route to shooting a school-record-tying 16-under 197 at the Stanford Golf Club. Within a couple of months, she was competing in tournaments. Stanford star's incredible start begs question: Has a historic college season just begun? Maybe someday Woods will ask for a snapshot with her. But she has realized that she needs to limit her circle and try to shut out any external stuff that may be negative.. Youre kidding me, Pinnell replied. She showed up to the course in jeans and a T-shirt and looked around at the other players wearing more traditional attire. Reigning U.S. Women's Amateur champion Rose Zhang spoke to the media before competing in the 2020 U.S. Women's Open at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas.. Rose Zhang presented with McCormack medal at The Spirit. Many expect the No. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. To be in a position to earn Rolex Player of the Year honors again in 2020 was arduous. We could not thank George enough for devoting some of his time to Angie's interest! While her coach said any number of things can sidetrack a burgeoning career be it injuries, other hobbies or a burnout he doesnt expect it to happen to Zhang. She competed in the 2019 U.S. Women's Open and was on the gold medal team at the 2019 Pan American Games .