Rose Zhang has now won her first three starts at Stanford. It’s the first time in Cardinal history that a freshman – male or female – has swept the first three events. For the record, Tiger Woods won two of this first three at Stanford.
Zhang’s 16-under effort at the Stanford Intercollegiate ties the relation-to-par record that sophomore Rachel Heck posted last season. Zhang, a two-time USGA champion, carded only two bogeys over the course of 54 holes at the home event, winning by four. The No. 1-ranked amateur is now 23 under through nine rounds of college golf, sporting a 69.1 average.
“She’s everything I thought she would be,” said head coach Anne Walker. “She’s more golf genius that I realized, but that doesn’t surprise me.”
The Stanford women’s team is now a perfect 3-0 as well.
🌹🌹🌹
A school-record tying 16-under and Rose Zhang is a champion for the third time in three collegiate starts!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/MY2TRshKQs
— Stanford Women's Golf (@StanfordWGolf) October 17, 2021
The Cardinal’s 28-under performance ties the 54-hole record set last year at NCAA regionals, also hosted at Stanford’s home course. Freshman Caroline Sturdza of Switzerland tied for fifth for Stanford while Aline Krauter (T-7), Heck (T-10) and Angelina Ye (T-19) rounded out the lineup.
The Cardinal topped runner-up San Jose State by 22 strokes. UCLA was the only other team that broke par at 1 under.
The legendary Woods won three times as a freshman and eight times as a sophomore in his two years at Stanford. Maverick McNealy, Patrick Rodgers and Woods hold the all-time record for most wins at Stanford with 11. Andrea Lee, a rookie on the LPGA, is next with nine.
Heck won six times in one semester last spring, including a sweep of the postseason.
Walker lauded Zhang’s patience, her internal desire, the soundness of her technique and her ability to stay relaxed – both in body and mind – throughout the round. She’s also self-sufficient and low-key.
Zhang, who lives in a freshmen dorm, told her coach that she was surprised by how quickly she made friends in her short time on campus.
“That’s what I hope comes out from all of this,” said Walker. “She is just so just into college life. … I would not say she’s someone who is a quiet bystander, very much the opposite. She’s so funny, smiling and supportive beyond belief.”
Stanford heads next to Hawaii for the final event on the fall schedule, the Pac-12 Preview, though Rose and Heck will not be in the lineup as they’ll be representing the U.S. in the Spirit International at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Texas. There are eight events listed for the spring, including the NCAA Championship.
