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For 2022, Rose Zhang has been the biggest newsmaker. She has been the best female amateur golfer for 117 weeks now. She finished 2021 winning her three fall starts, but 2022 was when she came in full flow, dominating everywhere.
The news of Zhang getting the "Amateur Player of the Player" didn't come as a surprise after all. She was everywhere throughout. This year saw Zhang win a couple of USGA championships, the NCAA's and several other junior, amateur, and college titles.
It doesn't end there. The 19-year-old won the team national championship at Stanford, two Curtis Cup team titles for the USA, three Mark H. McCormack medals, and gold medals at the Pan American Games, Spirit International, Espirito Santo Trophy, and the ANNIKA Award. Quite a lot for someone her age.
Rose Zhang: A 2022 to remember
At the beginning of 2022, Zhang won the first three college events she featured in. Apart from her three wins, she finished 4th at the Lamkin Invitational, runner-up at the Gunrock Invitational and the Meadow Club Women's Intercollegiate.
Her worst finish was 12th, the only time she finished outside the top 10.
Despite all these accolades, Zhang isn't in a hurry to turn professional.
"I do have goals but they aren’t necessarily based on achievements or championships, they are more focused on my performance, daily life and character development, as opposed to winning a specific tournament. I focus on all of the little things on a daily basis that will help me be successful," Zhang told the AmateurGolf.com.
Zhang's role model is World No. 1 Lydia Ko, the AG Women's Player of the Year for 2012 and 2013.
Zhang won the NCAA individual title at Grayhawk Golf Club by a margin of three strokes. Interestingly, she lever lost her lead throughout the tournament. Earlier this summer, she played a major role in the United States' Curtis League victory.
Zhang became only the second player other than Pat Hurst to achieve victory at the U.S. Girls' Jr., U.S. Women's Amateur, and the NCAA individual events. In the male category, only Tiger Woods has secured this feat.
In professional golf, Zhang made the cut in three of the majors and won Smyth Salver as a low amateur at the AIG Women's British Open. She finished T-28 with a one-over total of 285 at Muirfield.
Zhang also bagged her third consecutive McCormack award as the world's No. 1 amateur golfer.
The only minor disappointment for Zhang came in the Women's World Amateur Team in France. As Zhang missed a putt on the last hole, it forced the US team to play the tiebreaker, which was eventually won by Sweden.
In June this year, Zhang became the first student athlete to get a deal with Addidas.
What's next for Rose Zhang?
In June this year, Zhang had said that she was looking to stay at Stanford for at least one more year and won't be jumping for the professional card hurriedly. However, it doesn't look that far away for Zhang.
