Zhang is No. As Georges student for the past 6 years, to say that he has helped my golf game is an understatement. I learned more about how complicated the world can be., Zhang also learned about external voices those that can be detrimental, if you listen to the wrong ones. 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. Golfweekrecently caught up with Heather Daly-Donofrio, a former LPGA player and tour executive who leads the program. 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. Among them a two-time Mark H McCormack Medal winner (2020 and 2021) as the leading player on the World Amateur Golf Ranking; 2020 U.S. Women's Amateur champion; 2021 U.S. Girls' Champion; two-time Rolex Junior Player of the Year; a member of the victorious 2021 U . Georges knowledge and experience gives him the ability to be direct and speak to what changes should be made to improve my performance. This is Augusta National. I learned more about how complicated the world can be., Zhang also learned about external voices thosethatcan be detrimental, if you listen to the wrong ones. In 2019, Zhang was one of the youngest competitors in theAugusta National Womens Amateur. 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. Zhang said she watched how LPGA players went about their business at the ANA Inspiration in 2018, a tournament Zhang qualified for when she won the ANA Junior Inspiration tournament as a 14-year-old. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Golf Channel, All Rights Reserved. (Photo courtesy of Stanford). If youve ever played at Oak Creek Golf Club, you may have seen her out on the course. She competed in the 2019 U.S. Women's Open and was on the gold medal team at the 2019 Pan American Games . Home What makes Rose Zhang the No. Those who know 17-year-old Zhang best say shes kind, humble and funny. 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. She lost her lead after a second-round 75 on the challenging Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma. George quickly put her back on track for progress and health. Its been 19 years since Lorena Ochoa had what many consider the most dominant single season in womens college golf history. George once told me that a player doesnt know how good a coach is, until they know how much he or she, cares. As we know, amateur success doesnt guarantee riches in professional golf. American Junior Golf Association 1980 Sports Club Drive Braselton, GA 30517 (877) 373-2542 (770) 868-4200 (Phone) (770) 868-4211 (Fax) ajga@ajga.org Pinnell, like so many others, believes Zhang could be a generational type of player:I think that is in her veins.. 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. She losther lead after a second-round75 on the challenging Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She showed up to the course in jeans and a T-shirt and looked around at the other players wearing more traditional attire. The WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKING ranks male and female amateur golfers by assessing performance at thousands of amateur golf tournaments and championships, worldwide. 1 in the American Junior Golf Association rankings for more than 53 weeks. She won the 2020 U.S. Women's Amateur and the 2022 NCAA Division I Championship. When I didnt play golf I heard a lot more voices than when I was practicing," she said. This is the first tournament of the2023 Golfweek Junior Tournament Series. When shes not golfing, she can be found doing homework, surfing the web, watching Chinese variety shows and hanging out with friends. For us, Coach George Pinnell has been the best coach ever to help my daughter Alesia Barry succeed as a junior golfer. Steve does concert reviews for the Register, too, when time permits. She doesnt make many mistakes. [5][6], Zhang won theU.S. Womens Amateurin August 2020 after defeatingGabriela Ruffelsin the final on the 38th hole. Stanford freshman Rose Zhang at Siebel Varsity Golf Training Complex. Georges knowledge and experience gives him the ability to be direct and speak to what changes should be made to improve my performance. Thats when Pinnell realized there was more to Zhang than the athletic teenager he first met whose swing still needed some tweaking. He helps me stay driven.. The multi-year deal was announced on the morning of Zhang entering the U.S. Women's Open.[13]. Thanks to George, I am always able to find my confidence again and focus on my game. What makes Rose Zhang the No. This July, Zhang won the U.S. 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. We use TrackMan a lot., This impeccable self-awareness ofthe basics helps Zhang both technically and mentally on the course. George quickly put her back on track for progress and health. An Arizona Wildcat sophomore in 2001-02, Ochoa won her first seven tournaments starts before finishing second at Pac-10 Championship in April. He operated in another age when local newspapers actually covered golf extensively, amateur and professional, back when people read local newspapers. He cares about, and checks scores, for every single tournament his players compete in, no matter how big or small the tournament is. George Pinnell has worked with Zhang for six years and said the laser-focused teen rarely has time away from her golf and studies. Its quite difficult, she said, because a lot of courses have closed down their short-game areas and their putting greens, and there are a lot of people who want to play golf so there are a lot of busy tee times. Sometimes I tend to quick it up and I definitely feel it. She won the U.S. Womens Amateur title in 2020, the U.S. Girls Junior Amateur title in July and has held the No. Zhang and Stanford have one more tournament on the fall schedule, the Pac-12 Preview in Hawaii the first week of November. Hes always been the one to push me further and that really helps me get into the grit mindset, which takes over into my golf game, said Rose. When pressed for an example, Pinnell tells a story from the AJGA Ping Invitational last October, when Zhang fell four strokes back after a 75. Rose Zhang has also been No. 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.. We all should learn the life lessons, attitude and the tenacious fighting spirit that you have toward difficulties that you face. Zhang is No. By signing up, you agree to the And she is the No. Shes obviously spent many hours of work. He believes so much in his players and loves what he is doing to help junior golfers grow. But thats not the answer, he said with a laugh. Her patience is just unreal. A perfect Zhang story, but not often told, occurred at the 2020 Ping Invitational. She competed in the 2019 U.S. Women's Open at 16 years of age. 2022 won her fifth college tournament at the Carmel Cup setting a Pebble Beach Golf Links Womens record with a 63. She won the NCAA Regional for an eighth victory, then finished T-2 at the NCAA Championship. Pinnell doesnt speak unless Zhang initiates. You are a fighter with a kind and big heart to create miracles in your players. 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 same goes for junior golf, too. I really love the game of golf, she says. Several people say this reminds them of when Tiger was here back in the 90s., I do believe that the best sports psychologist in the world is a square clubface at impact. Rory McIlroy. Irvine skater brings home gold for U.S.A. When I first came to him when I was 11, his way of teaching really intrigued me with all the technology he had including Trackman, his side/front swing cameras, and his large TVs. 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. Zhang began playing golf at age 9and now, at 18, is the best amateur player in the world. Yes, the messages were from Zhangs number, the 12-year-old golfer Pinnell was coaching. 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. Im confident I have a chance, she says. He also teaches parents some advanced ideas about golf and how to become a good parent of a good golfer. Stanford star's incredible start begs question: Has a historic college season just begun? Subscribe now. Then I readjust what I need to do.. An Irvine teen has risen to No. February 27, 2023 at 11:54 AM. I was always very into my golf game and didnt really have time to talk to other people. #JustSaying: I do believe that the best sports psychologist in the world is a square clubface at impact. Rory McIlroy, Photograph courtesy of the Ladies European Tour, Shes everything I thought she would be. [1], Zhang attended Pacific Academy and enrolled at Stanford University in 2021.[3][4]. 1-ranked amateur womens golfer on Earth. Coming from that week, I learned a lot, and could gain more improvement on my game. 8 Georgia, 1up, Won her semifinal match vs. No. She has interests in business and management but remains undecided on a major. 2021 Won her first three college tournaments as a Stanford freshman, breaking Tiger Woods record. Rose Zhang, who is the top-ranked junior golfer in the world and a student at Irvine's Pacific Academy, signs with Stanford She is a senior at Pacific Academy in Irvine Pacific Academy's Rose. He was in the inaugural class inducted into the Santa Ana Unified School District Sports Hall of Fame. Having spent her youth dabbling in other sports like . Zhang is the No. As a team, Stanford shot an even-par 284 on Monday, the best round of the day by two shots over San Jose State, who sits two strokes back of the Cardinal with 18 holes left to play on Tuesday. The West Coast Junior Open will feature daily coverage on and will be ranked by both the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings and The Junior Golf Scoreboard. True, so lets not hand the precocious teenager a trophy cabinet full of major silverware just yet. 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. He asked Ko if he could introduce Zhang to her and snap a few photos of the pair. He is really good at reading players minds, so be prepared to communicate. "Understanding what tempo I have really helps me calm down on the golf course. The highlight of her career so far: taking a celebratory leap into Poppies Pond at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage after winning the 2018 ANA Junior Inspiration. Pinnell was uncertain how Zhang would handle the Country Club of Charleston course on short rest. Could she recall the last time shed made a triple? To be out there together with him is pretty cool, she said. Aside from 11th in last years ANA, she made the cut in Evian Championship this year. Tempo is biggest thing for her. 1 in Golfstat and also boast the top-ranked amateur and college player in sophomore Rose Zhang.. George and I have become good friends during our time spent together during the last few years. Rose Zhang makes it three in a row at Stanford Intercollegiate. I was just like, Oh well, Ill just act natural, Zhang said. Not the case with Pinnell, who spends a lot of time with Zhangworking on structure in the golf swing. And after some lessons, she entered a nine-hole tournament to test her game. That was very frustrating since she started golf late and had only been playing for two and half years. I learned so much in so short a time while spending time with you at The Open. Zhang began playing golf at age 9 and now, at 18, is the best amateur player in the world. Shes won her first three tournaments. 11. Maybe someday Woods will ask for a snapshot with her. First, she stays in the present. Privacy Policy. As George Pinnell received more and more text messages from Rose Zhang, full of advanced questions about golf, he grew more and more confused. He has a very personal style where he has individual chats with her, where he listens to her as much as she listens to him. 1-ranked team in the Womens Golf Coaches Association polls, having won all three team titles so far this fall. Within 10 minutes, I had it, Zhang told her coach after the tournament. She then clinched Stanfords second NCAA team title by winning the final match, 3 and 1. 1 amateur? The 2023 Golfweek Southwest Junior Open returns May 27-28, to award winning Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, AZ. Pinnell, 75, credits Zhangs father Henry for her strong mental approach, saying that she thrives on the challenges he presents. Zhang arrived at Stanford with a string of amateur accomplishments to her name to match what Woods achieved in the unpaid game. Zhang is the only high school student, by the way, among the top 20 female amateur golfers in the world. PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif. - No. 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. Coach George has been a critical factor for my daughter, Angie Zhang, in her golf pursuit. He has high expectations for me and he sacrificed a lot of time and effortfor me. On her 19th birthday she was presented with the Annika Award for best female college golfer of the year. He is always there to check in with how I am feeling before and after the rounds. 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. Its like having another me there to share the experiences.. It's been a great month of golf for me so far thanks to George Pinnell! Rose Zhang initially thought tennis would be her calling. Steve Fryer covers high school sports at the Orange County Register.