If Rose Zhang thought 2020 couldn’t get any better for her, she proved herself wrong today. A month after winning the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur, Zhang earned low-amateur honors at the ANA Inspiration after finishing in a tie for 11th at -8, thanks in part to birdies on her final two holes. Her 280 is the lowest 72-hole score ever by an amateur, breaking the mark of 281 set by Caroline Keggi (1988) and Michelle Wie (2004).
“Honestly I just feel so incredibly blessed to play such a prestigious event, especially in this LPGA major,” said Zhang, who lives two hours away and even volunteered here in 2017. “Ever since I started golf, I watched the ANA Inspiration and I watched Lydia Ko and Jin-Young Ko jump into Poppie’s Pond and Pernilla Lindberg. To be able to be on this venue is truly an honor.”
The high-school senior and Stanford University commit played in the 2018 major after winning the ANA Junior Inspiration, where she took her own dive into Poppie’s Pond. Zhang made the cut and finished in a tie for 60th and credits the changes she’s made since her leap to the player she is today.
“I think everything changed so much. Two years is a huge difference, and I feel like I've grown physically and mentally,” said Zhang. “I just still kept the same mindset as I had two years ago about just doing my own thing and trying to improve each step of the way. I'm just extremely honored.”
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