Augusta, GA — Rose Zhang is cool enough to realize that rarely does anything meaningful happen so easily. The Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the last piece of her glittering career, meant the world to her.
This turned out to be the hardest test for her.
Betting 5 strokes, she was in 4 times seven holes when the final round at the Masters house was delayed 3 1/2 hours due to storms. I made the wrong decision on the 15th to go green and went into the water. And she had to watch Jenny Pye stand over a 20-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole with a chance to win.
Zhang overcame everything. Saturday’s only easy shot was her final shot, taking advantage of the second extra hole to beat Bay in a playoff no one expected.
Full results for the Women’s National Amateur from Augusta
“I feel like when your swings are uncomfortable, it’s always difficult to play on a really tough golf course, and the Augusta National is no exception. Especially since it’s such a huge spectacle, every mistake is kind of magnified,” Chang said. “So I think just being able to get back on the track Right was my biggest achievement today. »
Zhang closed with 4 of 76 and eventually got the help.
Pai, a senior at Georgia, putt a par-10 shot on the second hole of the playoff, as the ball got bogged down under the bushes limiting its swing. I hit and crossed the bullish green into a bunker, and pulled back to take a fourth shot.
This caused Zhang to leave two shells about 35 feet apart. The speed was great, and Zhang straightened and extended her left arm to guide her into the cup. He just missed her – soon enough – and backed away with a mixture of satisfaction and relief.
It has been a perfect location for top golf fans for the past 3 years.
Say hello, Rose.
The 19-year-old was attacked by her classmates at Stanford University, and one of them gave her a red rose.
Zhang now owns the U.S. Women’s Amateur, an NCAA title at Stanford and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, in only her fourth year but is already considered one of the most prestigious due to the venue of the Finals.
“It was amazing,” Zhang said. “The beginning of this week was really crazy with different press interviews, a lot of expectations for me and I had a lot of expectations for myself. To get through all of this, I am very grateful to be here.”
Bay had no reason to believe she had a chance, trailing the No. 1 amateur by six shots after a double-bogey in the third. But she caught three birdies along the way, the last of which was grazing a foot on the 17th that finally caught the miss-prone Zhang. They finished 9th under No. 207.
After that, Bey’s hopes ended in one fell swoop.
“I felt confident. But I think I pulled it a little bit, out over the green and into the bushes in the back,” Pye said. “I tried, but Rose, you had a great day. Hats off to her.”
Zhang was clear in two rounds at Champions Retreat, setting tournament records for two straight days with an opening 66 and then a 65 leading by five.
The Augusta National was a different story, and she never felt comfortable with even a slight adjustment of her grip on the back nine that helped her stabilize.
But his decision in Case 15 cost him dearly. Zhang was able to see Bei in the lead group which made her equal, so the lead remained at two bars. However, she chose to go to the green, and slapped the side of her thigh because the ball was in the air. I knew she held him weakly. The result was even before you saw the stain.
“You haven’t even come close to the green,” she said. “I was a little angry at myself for opening that door so wide.”
She was also clinging to this hole. After the fall, I dropped 18 feet above the water and sent 6 feet out of the hole. Miss it and the last five strikes will be gone.
“It was essential to my confidence,” Zhang said. “If I don’t, this will probably be the end of me.”
She pared the final five holes, two of them qualifiers, and found herself at the Butler Cabin receiving the trophy from Chief Master Fred Ridley, speaking to the crowd and a few rows of members in their green jackets during the winner’s ceremony at the Green 18.
“I just learned that on this golf course, a five-stroke lead is not enough. A ten-shot lead is not enough,” Zhang said. “Every hole counts. »
All 20.
