This is a carousel. Use the Next and Previous buttons to navigate
Stanford women’s golfer Rose Zhang tees off on the 8th hole during the Carmel Cup tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Club on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Pebble Beach, California. Zhang shot a 9-under 63 to set a new women’s course record.
Stanford women’s golfer Megha Ganne hits the green on the 15th hole during the Carmel Cup event at Pebble Beach Golf Club on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Pebble Beach, California.
Stanford women’s golfer Rose Zhang putst on the 8th hole during the Carmel Cup event at Pebble Beach Golf Club on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Pebble Beach, California. Zhang shot a 9-under 63 to set a new women’s course record.
Stanford women’s golf hasn’t done anything surprising in the past year. Their national championship was preceded by a weekly ranking of No. 1. Cardinal players have won the previous two individual championships. No. 1 women’s amateur golfer Rose Zhang might be the only athlete in college sports headed for even bigger things who still isn’t making consistent headlines.
But that doesn’t make the program’s success and dominance in college golf go unnoticed. The most exciting amateur golfers in the world are on the Cardinal roster. Over the past three years, head coach Anne Walker has built the nation’s most dominant program into one of the strongest dynasties the sport has ever seen.
“I chose it because of the environment,” said freshman Megha Ganne, who, at 17, made the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. “I know I will learn so much from my teammates.”
Stanford women’s golf head coach Ann Walker, center left, speaks with the team after the Carmel Cup event at Pebble Beach Golf Club on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Pebble Beach, California. Stanford women’s golfers, from left, are Rachel Heck, Rose Zhang and Megha Ganne.
Stanford’s program can be defined by its consistency. Walker described Zhang’s game as “boring” and meant it as a compliment. Ranked unanimously No. 1 heading into the 2022-23 season, the Cardinal are expected to pick up where they left off. Stanford came close to a clean sweep all season, but settled for the national championship and each individual title.
Zhang, who has been the No. 1 female amateur golfer in the world for 103 consecutive weeks, began her 2022 campaign by setting a record at Pebble Beach – a nine-under par 63 at the Carmel Cup last weekend. Stanford topped the tournament with a 12-under total.
In her freshman season, Zhang won the NCAA individual title, the Annika Award — presented to her on her 19th birthday — and finished first or second in eight of her 10 starts. She was the first person to ever win the US Women’s Amateur Championship before the Rolex Junior Girls Championship, which she eventually won by six shots.
Last October, she became the first Stanford golfer – male or female – to win her first three collegiate starts. That includes someone named Tiger Woods.
“Even though she’s No. 1 in the world and our best player all year, she goes about her business like she’s No. 10 in the world,” Walker said. “She’s just amazing.”
Stanford women’s golfer Rose Zhang smiles after finishing the 18th hole during the Carmel Cup tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Club on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Pebble Beach, California. Zhang shot a 9-under 63 to set a new women’s course record.
Zhang is one of four Cardinal golfers already ranked in the world’s top 40 players, and one of only three three-time winners of the McCormack Medal for Amateur Player of the Year; no one has won four. After claiming her third last season, she had a busy summer across Europe, where she won the Smyth Salver as the top amateur at the AIG Women’s Open.
“It’s quite difficult to have such a busy academic season and then have a summer schedule where you have a lot of professional events that take a toll on your body,” she said while in Paris for the World Amateur Team Championships. “It’s long, but great. I enjoy every moment, but it is quite tiring.”
For this season, the Cardinal lost Aline Krauter, but returned everyone else. The additions to their young roster are expected to compete immediately. Many preseason watch lists project Ganne, already the nation’s most improved freshman, to be the team’s third or second All-American.
Ganne has the advantage of becoming friends with her future teammates over the past few years; The No. 37 amateur golfer in the world was with Stanford junior Rachel Heck at the US Amateur Championship in her home state of New Jersey on the eve of the NCAA golf season, reflecting on her highly anticipated freshman year at Stanford as she watched as a spectator.
“I have a relationship with almost everyone on the team,” Ganne said over the phone. “It feels super comfortable to walk in.”
Stanford women’s golfers Megha Ganne and Rachel Heck hug after the Carmel Cup event at Pebble Beach Golf Club on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Pebble Beach, California.
Not only is Ganne joining the best program in the country, she will likely have a great chance to cash in on her name, image and likeness. Zhang became the first student-athlete to earn a NIL contract with Adidas last season, and will represent the company outside of the event at Stanford, since it is a Nike school. Her portfolio includes American Express, Callaway, Uswing Sunglasses, Amundi Asset Management and Beats by Dre. She and Heck are Beats’ first two female golf ambassadors.
“She earned it,” Walker said of Zhang. “She was rewarded for her success.”
Like most NIL contracts, they are tied to NCAA eligibility, so they are terminated when athletes graduate or turn pro. Contracts like these can keep athletes competing in school instead of jumping straight to the pros.
Zhang said that will affect how long she stays at Stanford, though it wasn’t the “most important” thing on her mind as she weighed her future. She has fielded questions about her next steps since committing to Stanford, but recently said she will enjoy her sophomore season and go from there.
“It’s amazing to be a part of the team,” she said. “I made 10 new best friends on the team. It’s a journey we’re all stuck on together.”
Stanford women’s golfer Rachel Heck tees off on the 17th hole during the Carmel Cup event at Pebble Beach Golf Club on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Pebble Beach, California.
Heck plans to join the Air Force Reserves or National Guard after college, but he’s third in the world. On any other campus, she would be the star of the list. Illness derailed her postseason and she won just twice a year ago, but she expects her junior season to be more like her freshman year, where she won the first individual championship in Stanford history while also setting the NCAA single-season record of 69 ,72.
“Nothing compares to a team win,” said Heck, who also spent time in Paris this summer on the same team as Zhang. “Golf is such an individual game, so when we won the national championship, that’s the proudest I’ve ever been, the happiest I’ve ever felt on the golf course. I’ve never cried over winning a tournament, but I did roar. I shudder just thinking about it.”
She is two wins shy of the program’s all-time record for individual wins with eight, which Zhang will also chase, having already earned five.
The rest of Stanford’s top amateur group includes senior and no. 33 in the Brooke Seay rankings, while Ganne is the 37th ranked amateur before ever making a shot.
The ultra-competitive nature of practice can be more challenging than the events Stanford plays.
“It makes everyone better,” Zhang added. “We do not compete with each other, but for each other.”
While Zhang follows the all-time record of 135 weeks at No. 1 set by Leona Maguire from 2015 to 2018, she is not worried about her future after Stanford. For now, she has a sense of community that only comes from being on a team competing to rewrite the record books.
“We’re always pushing each other,” she said. “Being here, it’s something I’ll take with me for the rest of my life.”
Marisa Ingemi is a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: marisa.ingemi@sfchronicle.com
What’s the perfect GPA?
Unweighted Scale GPA 4.0 Basically, the highest GPA you can earn is a 4.0, which indicates an A average in all your classes. A 3.0 would mean a B average, 2.0 a C average, 1.0 a D and 0.0 F. This scale does not take into account the levels of your courses.
Is a 5.0 GPA possible? It depends on the scale Typically, high schools that use weighted GPAs opt for a 0-5 scale that makes 5.0 the highest possible grade. Read also : ‘Stanford Columns’ expands campus arts district – Stanford Report. A GPA higher than 5.0 is rare, but the school credit system is occasionally structured so that students who take advanced classes can accumulate bonus points.
Is an overall GPA of 3.5 good?
But a grade point average of 3.5 and above is good in college. 3.5 GPA students typically qualify for Dean’s List and Honors programs. The average grade point average for four-year undergraduate studies at American colleges is 3.15. So we can safely say that yes, a 3.5 GPA is good in college.
Is a GPA of 5.0 good?
If your school uses a 5 or 6 point GPA scale, you want to be closer to those values instead. The average grade point average for high school students in the United States is about a B, which means the average high school GPA is a 3. This may interest you : Top 10 books about women written from history.0. So if your GPA is higher than that, you’re off to a good start!
How much does it cost to play at Stanford Golf Course?
PRICES. $175 per person without cart (Paired with another golfer; maximum 4 players per group). This may interest you : The United States remains in first place, Germany up to second.
Is the Stanford golf course walkable? It is walkable in front and some old guys were walking in front of us.
How do you play Stanford golf?
If you are interested in playing golf at Stanford:
- Please complete the online questionnaire.
- Email a copy of your current transcript to conrad.ray@stanford.edu or fax to (650) 323-6207.
- NCAA Recruiting Information – What every prospective student-athlete needs to know about the recruiting process.
Can anyone play Stanford Golf Course?
The Stanford Golf Course is a University-owned facility under the management and supervision of the Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation. Playing privileges are available to students, faculty/staff and alumni with valid ID.
How do you become a member of the Stanford Golf Course?
Golf course memberships are available in two forms, faculty/personal or regular membership. All applicants must go through a formal process to apply for membership. To explore a Stanford Golf Course membership, click on the appropriate link.
Who can use the Stanford Golf Course?
Located in the foothills above the Stanford University campus, the Stanford Golf Course is consistently rated as one of the best courses in the world. The course is open to current Stanford University faculty/staff, students, members, alumni, and their guests.
How does one become a member of the Stanford Golf Course? Golf course memberships are available in two forms, faculty/personal or regular membership. All applicants must go through a formal process to apply for membership. To explore a Stanford Golf Course membership, click on the appropriate link.
Can anyone play Stanford Golf Course?
The Stanford Golf Course is a University-owned facility under the management and supervision of the Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation. Playing privileges are available to students, faculty/staff and alumni with valid ID.
