Rose Zhang had an amateur golf career that was legendary. But, does that make her the greatest women’s amateur of all-time. Lets dig into that question.
Other than Tiger Woods, there has never been a pro golf career more anticipated than Zhang. One of the greatest amateurs of all-time, Zhang won her first professional tournament in storybook fashion. A lot of people believe Zhang is the greatest women's amateur of all-time. And while we can make a great case for Zhang being the best ever, Nancy Lopez has to be in that conversation too.
Zhang was a top junior player, winning the US Junior and having won the Rolex Junior Player of the Year in 2019. Later, she would win both the August Women's Amateur and, in 2020, the US Women's Amateur. In 2023, she won the NCAA Championship to become the only women's player to win back-to-back NCAA titles.
"She is arguably the greatest ever," said Anne Walker, Zhang's college coach at Stanford.
Zhang didn't just win tournaments too, she won the big ones. Stumbling during the last round of the August Women's Amateur, Zhang came back to win in a playoff over Jennie Bae. She dominated the women's amateur golf so much that she was the No. 1 ranked women's amateur for three consecutive years. During that span, she won the US Am, the NCAA twice, and was the low amateur in an LPGA major championship.
Lopez was the Rose Zhang before Rose Zhang.
At the age of 12, Lopez won the New Mexico State Women's Amateur. Later, she would win the US Junior twice, in 1972 and 1974. She would go on to win the NCAA Women's Championship too. Lopez would also go on to play on the US Curtis Cup team and the US Women's World Amateur team. What separates this record from Zhang is that Lopez did this all before her sophomore year in college.
Lopez left college after her sophomore year, turned pro, then finished 2nd in the US Open during her first shot as a professional.
Both players have had legendary careers including Lopez and her pro career. Zhang is just getting started as a professional, but great things are expected. As amateurs, both were great. Lopez flexed her muscle early in her career, then turned pro, while Zhang was consistent for a long period of time.
"Rose has been great for a long time because she is value driven," said Walker. "That is why she has been able to sustain her greatness."
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