Stanford freshman and world’s No. 1 amateur Rose Zhang makes history with U.S. Girls’ Junior win

CHEVY CHASE, Md. — The United States Golf Association couldn’t have scripted a better final match for the 72^nd U.S. Girls’ Junior. No matter the outcome, history was being made on Saturday at Columbia Country Club.

On the one hand you had reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Rose Zhang, who was attempting to be just the eighth player to win both the Women’s Amateur and Girls’ Junior, but the first to win the amateur before the junior.

On the other was local Maryland talent Bailey Davis aiming to be the first Black American female to win a USGA championship.

Davis, a Tennessee-bound freshman, put up a strong fight and great performance all week, but it was Zhang who emerged victorious in the 36-hole final, winning, 6 and 4.

“USGA events in general are just, you really need your A game in terms of your patience, your grit and your golf game,” said Zhang after the match. “Just being able to pull through on such a long week is something really special, and I feel very accomplished in what I did this week.”

Zhang’s match-play record is now 15-1 in USGA championships since 2019. Her only loss? To now-U.S. Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso in the quarterfinals of the 2019 U.S. Girls’ Junior.

The incoming freshman at Stanford opened the morning with a bogey-free 6-under 64 (with match-play concessions) and went to the lunch break with a 4-up lead thanks to birdies on Nos. 4, 5, 11, 12, 16 and 18. Davis played well, carding an even-par 70 in the morning with the only real blemish coming on the par-5 12th hole, where she made double-bogey. The White Plains, Maryland, native hit her approach shot over the green into a bush. When some fans were looking for the ball, it fell out of the bush, and Davis took an unplayable lie. From there she struggled to find the green and conceded the hole.

“In the morning it was very tight,” said Zhang. “Bailey was making almost every putt she looked at, and I just had to stay patient and keep up with her. That’s what you have to do with your opponent, and I think that I did that pretty well.”

Davis came out firing in the second 18, earning a conceded birdie on the 19th hole (No. 1) to cut the lead to three. The pair went back-and-forth with pars for three straight holes before Zhang rattled off three birdies over the next four holes to take a 6-up lead through 26 holes.

After just her second bogey of the day, Zhang’s lead shrunk to 5-up with five holes to go. Walking to the 14th tee, play was stopped due to dangerous weather in the area at 2 p.m. ET and then resumed at 5:15 after a three-hour break.

Zhang closed out the match on the 33rd hole where she made birdie after hitting the flagstick with her approach from the rough.

Rose Zhang made 10 birdies in the #USGirlsJunior final, none more memorable than her approach on the 32nd hole to close out the match!

Her victory is the @Lexus Top Performance of the Day. #LexusGolf pic.twitter.com/jc0aIigAjh

— USGA (@USGA) July 17, 2021

“I was trying to stay in the moment and not get ahead of myself, even with a large lead, it’s really easy in match play to trail behind with less momentum on your side,” explained Zhang. “After I hit that shot, I just stayed composed.

“I had 138 left to the pin, and I knew I was having a bit of adrenaline going and I was having a flier lie. I clubbed down to a pitching wedge, and I mean, luck was on my side and it hit the pin. I think it would have gone way over if it didn’t, so it was just an amazing moment, and making that putt was extra special.”

“It was amazing having so many people out here. A lot of friends and family and family friends, teachers, coaches, so many people came out to watch me this week, and I am beyond blessed to have them out here,” said Davis of her final-match fans. “I was 6-down at one point and they were like, ‘You got this.’ I was 5-down, five holes to play and they were like, ‘You can do this, Bailey.’ So that meant a lot to me to know they were out here supporting me and they know I could have possibly won.”

“I played a great match today, but Rose just played better,” said Davis. “We just take from this experience and learn for the next.”

At USGA final matches, the players get to choose their lunch. Zhang’s choice: honey glazed salmon and broccoli.

“It was the same chef that cooked for me at Woodmont, so it was an extra special meal,” she said with a laugh.

That chef might just have to make the trip to New York for next month’s U.S. Women’s Amateur.