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Rose Zhang has become a bit of an expert on the Cold War, memorizing 94 terms for her final exam and writing 3,000-word term papers in the days leading up to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. With most of her Stanford friends majoring in Computer Science, Zhang will take history over quantum physics any day.
Last year, Zhang dropped a dumbbell on her foot in the months leading up to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and felt she wasn’t at her best in Georgia. This year, academic fatigue is more of a factor for the World No. 1, but her game is as pristine as the blades of grass at the iconic club.
“Pressure is pretty inevitable,” said Zhang of her fourth ANWA appearance, where her best showing was a share of third in 2021.
Throughout her dazzling amateur career, 19-year-old Zhang has risen to the occasion time and time again, winning as the favorite at the U.S. Girls’ Junior, NCAA Championship and Women’s Amateur. The ANWA would be the proverbial cherry on the sundae of a player who would surprise no one if she turned professional at the end the spring college season.
She’s the undisputed favorite in the field of 72.
Earlier this month, Zhang claimed her ninth career college title, tying a school record set by Andrea Lee. Zhang, a sophomore who has only teed it up in 16 events for the Cardinal thus far, has an eye-popping 13 top-two finishes in that stretch. Her only career finish outside the top 10 was a tie for 12th earlier this season at the Stephens Cup.
Tiger Woods (26 starts), Maverick McNealy (45 starts) and Patrick Rodgers (35 starts) hold the all-time record for most wins among both the men’s and women’s teams at Stanford with 11.
“I definitely don’t expect myself to be on top of the leaderboard every single time,” she said, “because I just feel like it’s something that no one can control.”
Zhang, a three-time recipient of the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the top-ranked amateur in the world (2020, 2021 and 2022), views records as a byproduct of her play and not something she thinks about while competing.
She recently broke the record for most consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking at 131, passing Lydia Ko, who currently tops the Rolex Rankings for professional players.
Should she stay in the top spot for the next month, Zhang will pass Leona Maguire for most total weeks at No. 1 on April 19 at 136 weeks.
“I would never think I would be in this position, ever,” said the…
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