[cardcrimson]

Although there is still hope given who is left on the golf course it's fair to say it looks grim.

C'mon Rose!

---

Not a big deal but I'm wondering why WFU drew #7 A&M while Stanford drew #5 USC?  You have to beat whomever you are lined up with but it would have been nice to not meet a conference peer in the Semifinals.  /Lefty

Apparently they don't reseed after the quarters where A&M beat #2 Texas.

[cardcrimson]

Although there is still hope given who is left on the golf course it's fair to say it looks grim.

C'mon Rose!

---

Not a big deal but I'm wondering why WFU drew #7 A&M while Stanford drew #5 USC?  You have to beat whomever you are lined up with but it would have been nice to not meet a conference peer in the Semifinals.  /Lefty

Apparently they don't reseed after the quarters where A&M beat #2 Texas.

[BobK]

USC wins

[BobK]

USC wins

[Leftcoast]

And ... It's over with USC winning 3-1.  Engelmann was still on the course up 1 through 17.  

Great run by the women but it was not to be.  The vagaries of match play make winning the NCAAs very hard in golf.  I'm not a fan.

[Leftcoast]

And ... It's over with USC winning 3-1.  Engelmann was still on the course up 1 through 17.  

Great run by the women but it was not to be.  The vagaries of match play make winning the NCAAs very hard in golf.  I'm not a fan.

[Canalejas]

Oh no. That's heartbreaking. Especially against that school.

[Canalejas]

Oh no. That's heartbreaking. Especially against that school.

[oldalum]

The injuries did us in this year. With either Seay or Heck at normal playing strength we would have won this match.

[oldalum]

The injuries did us in this year. With either Seay or Heck at normal playing strength we would have won this match.

[BillBradley]

DVR'd it and just watched it all. I really enjoy this event and I love to see how the golfers on all the teams pull together and handle the pressure.

Not much went right for the ladies. So many putts on the lip that didn't fall and USC made just enough of theirs to win. But putting is the name of the game in match play. It was probably about as bad as Rose can play (she pretty much said the same in the post match interview). 

FWIW, I think we were the better team. Just wasn't our day.

[BillBradley]

DVR'd it and just watched it all. I really enjoy this event and I love to see how the golfers on all the teams pull together and handle the pressure.

Not much went right for the ladies. So many putts on the lip that didn't fall and USC made just enough of theirs to win. But putting is the name of the game in match play. It was probably about as bad as Rose can play (she pretty much said the same in the post match interview). 

FWIW, I think we were the better team. Just wasn't our day.

[winflop]

FWIW, I think we were the better team. Just wasn't our day.

There's a saying in golf (and other sports, etc) - It's better to be lucky than good. That's match play in a nutshell. Lacking Heck & Seay at full health definitely hurt our chances, but in the end we had the talent to win it all but didn't play our best and U$C did.

[winflop]

FWIW, I think we were the better team. Just wasn't our day.

There's a saying in golf (and other sports, etc) - It's better to be lucky than good. That's match play in a nutshell. Lacking Heck & Seay at full health definitely hurt our chances, but in the end we had the talent to win it all but didn't play our best and U$C did.

[terry]

With either Seay or Heck at normal playing strength we would have won this match.

With Zhang playing like she played all year long we would have won this match.

[terry]

With either Seay or Heck at normal playing strength we would have won this match.

With Zhang playing like she played all year long we would have won this match.

[oldalum]

With Zhang playing like she played all year long we would have won this match.

Yes, but given that she could have but didn't, the remaining cast would have been strong enough to win without Zhang had it been at full strength.

[oldalum]

With Zhang playing like she played all year long we would have won this match.

Yes, but given that she could have but didn't, the remaining cast would have been strong enough to win without Zhang had it been at full strength.

[Spiny_Norman]

How about the development and performance by Kelly Xu! She went out yesterday and beat Pepperdine's #1 player then beat the USC player who finished 2nd overall in stroke play. Sadie Englemann had been 0-4 in match play before this year. She won against Pepperdine and was in position to beat Amari Avery when USC clinched the match.

Edited to add - I don't think a healthy Rachel Heck could have done better than Xu in the NCAA tournament.

Ganne ran into a buzzsaw. Her opponent was -5 for the 17 holes they played.

But the putts weren't falling for her, Seay or Zhang. And USC played well, especially on the final 9. They were not really giving Stanford many openings.

USC now becomes the 6th different P12 school to play in the NCAA finals during the 8 years of match play. If they win, they will join Stanford (2015, 2022), Washington (2016), ASU (2017) and Arizona (2018) as NCAA champs. If they lose, they will join Stanford (2016) and Oregon (2022) as runners up. If you are a golf fan, you will want to watch the finals. Should be a great match!

I think everyone expects Rose Zhang to move onto the pros. We now wait to hear about the Brooke Seay's plans. Will she use her Covid year and return? Will Rachel Heck's form come back after her surgery? Stanford only has 1 frosh coming in next year, Paula Martin from Spain. She is the #35 ranked amateur in the world.

[Spiny_Norman]

How about the development and performance by Kelly Xu! She went out yesterday and beat Pepperdine's #1 player then beat the USC player who finished 2nd overall in stroke play. Sadie Englemann had been 0-4 in match play before this year. She won against Pepperdine and was in position to beat Amari Avery when USC clinched the match.

Edited to add - I don't think a healthy Rachel Heck could have done better than Xu in the NCAA tournament.

Ganne ran into a buzzsaw. Her opponent was -5 for the 17 holes they played.

But the putts weren't falling for her, Seay or Zhang. And USC played well, especially on the final 9. They were not really giving Stanford many openings.

USC now becomes the 6th different P12 school to play in the NCAA finals during the 8 years of match play. If they win, they will join Stanford (2015, 2022), Washington (2016), ASU (2017) and Arizona (2018) as NCAA champs. If they lose, they will join Stanford (2016) and Oregon (2022) as runners up. If you are a golf fan, you will want to watch the finals. Should be a great match!

I think everyone expects Rose Zhang to move onto the pros. We now wait to hear about the Brooke Seay's plans. Will she use her Covid year and return? Will Rachel Heck's form come back after her surgery? Stanford only has 1 frosh coming in next year, Paula Martin from Spain. She is the #35 ranked amateur in the world.

[Softball Fan]

Thanks Spiny for the updates and information on NCAA championship play.  Although I'm not really a golf fan, the last two days were so competitive and exciting I watched both days from start to finish.

[Softball Fan]

Thanks Spiny for the updates and information on NCAA championship play.  Although I'm not really a golf fan, the last two days were so competitive and exciting I watched both days from start to finish.

[Spiny_Norman]

Thanks Spiny for the updates and information on NCAA championship play.  Although I'm not really a golf fan, the last two days were so competitive and exciting I watched both days from start to finish.

Coming soon - the men's golf NCAA thread! They start play on Friday.

[Spiny_Norman]

Thanks Spiny for the updates and information on NCAA championship play.  Although I'm not really a golf fan, the last two days were so competitive and exciting I watched both days from start to finish.

Coming soon - the men's golf NCAA thread! They start play on Friday.

[Maple Leaf]

Wake Forest beats u$c 3-1-0.  Normally I would root for a conference member, but not the u$c, and now not ucla.

[Maple Leaf]

Wake Forest beats u$c 3-1-0.  Normally I would root for a conference member, but not the u$c, and now not ucla.

[Hulk01]

Zhang on NIL deals and remaining in college;

The big question surrounding Zhang is how long she will stay in school. While not speaking specifically to her situation, Zhang believes that NIL could theoretically keep student-athletes in school longer as they’re able to be compensated while still working toward their degrees and competing collegiately.

“I do see that happening,” Zhang said. “For a lot of college players, it’s very normal for athletes to want to come out of college and want to earn a living immediately. NIL definitely takes some of the burden off of their shoulders and their families’ shoulders, and it’s a really good way to enter the professional world. It’s a good in-between and transition. With this change, it changes a lot of peoples’ decisions and what they want to do.

“People who need the money but still want an education can do so with NIL.”

[Hulk01]

Zhang on NIL deals and remaining in college;

The big question surrounding Zhang is how long she will stay in school. While not speaking specifically to her situation, Zhang believes that NIL could theoretically keep student-athletes in school longer as they’re able to be compensated while still working toward their degrees and competing collegiately.

“I do see that happening,” Zhang said. “For a lot of college players, it’s very normal for athletes to want to come out of college and want to earn a living immediately. NIL definitely takes some of the burden off of their shoulders and their families’ shoulders, and it’s a really good way to enter the professional world. It’s a good in-between and transition. With this change, it changes a lot of peoples’ decisions and what they want to do.

“People who need the money but still want an education can do so with NIL.”

[winflop]

Zhang has been in six-figure NIL land now for two years (so has Rachel Heck). I'd say that transition she speaks of may be complete but who knows what may be coming her way in terms of more deals this summer, especially if she adds to her trophy case with another US Amateur title. But whatever she could get from NIL, it will pale in comparison to what she will get if she turns pro.

I do see a scenario where she comes back, but I think it's much more likely that she will turn pro. She has nothing left to prove in amateur golf. She's only the second woman in history to win the USGA Junior, USGA Amateur, and NCAA Individual titles (Pat Hurst of SJSU is the other) and the only one to tack on Augusta but that's very new so I'm not counting it. She's also already the only player - man or woman - to win back to back NCAA individual titles.

Seay is more interesting and I have no idea what she's going to do. Given her scholarship awards, my guess is that she's graduating this year. She's majoring in Human Biology, which I think is very much a pre-med major so going after a masters degree seems less likely. It's not clear to me that LPGA is even on her radar, or how well her game will translate to the professional ranks.

[winflop]

Zhang has been in six-figure NIL land now for two years (so has Rachel Heck). I'd say that transition she speaks of may be complete but who knows what may be coming her way in terms of more deals this summer, especially if she adds to her trophy case with another US Amateur title. But whatever she could get from NIL, it will pale in comparison to what she will get if she turns pro.

I do see a scenario where she comes back, but I think it's much more likely that she will turn pro. She has nothing left to prove in amateur golf. She's only the second woman in history to win the USGA Junior, USGA Amateur, and NCAA Individual titles (Pat Hurst of SJSU is the other) and the only one to tack on Augusta but that's very new so I'm not counting it. She's also already the only player - man or woman - to win back to back NCAA individual titles.

Seay is more interesting and I have no idea what she's going to do. Given her scholarship awards, my guess is that she's graduating this year. She's majoring in Human Biology, which I think is very much a pre-med major so going after a masters degree seems less likely. It's not clear to me that LPGA is even on her radar, or how well her game will translate to the professional ranks.

[GK3]

Zhang has been in six-figure NIL land now for two years (so has Rachel Heck). I'd say that transition she speaks of may be complete but who knows what may be coming her way in terms of more deals this summer, especially if she adds to her trophy case with another US Amateur title. But whatever she could get from NIL, it will pale in comparison to what she will get if she turns pro.

I do see a scenario where she comes back, but I think it's much more likely that she will turn pro. She has nothing left to prove in amateur golf. She's only the second woman in history to win the USGA Junior, USGA Amateur, and NCAA Individual titles (Pat Hurst of SJSU is the other) and the only one to tack on Augusta but that's very new so I'm not counting it. She's also already the only player - man or woman - to win back to back NCAA individual titles.

Seay is more interesting and I have no idea what she's going to do. Given her scholarship awards, my guess is that she's graduating this year. She's majoring in Human Biology, which I think is very much a pre-med major so going after a masters degree seems less likely. It's not clear to me that LPGA is even on her radar, or how well her game will translate to the professional ranks.

Thanks for posting your thoughts on this.  I saw that we have one signed incoming golfer, this time from Spain, seems like an excellent prospect.  With two seniors on the roster plus Rose Zahn I wondered why only one recruit.  I don't know if either of the seniors have a covid year, it does seem Seay may well be moving on with her academic career.  If Rachel returns to form, a return group of Heck, Xu, Englemann, and Ganne is a pretty good group,  then there are Becht and Sturdza. 
Did we only have one scholarship to give for this year?  The cupboard isn't bare for next year.

[GK3]

Zhang has been in six-figure NIL land now for two years (so has Rachel Heck). I'd say that transition she speaks of may be complete but who knows what may be coming her way in terms of more deals this summer, especially if she adds to her trophy case with another US Amateur title. But whatever she could get from NIL, it will pale in comparison to what she will get if she turns pro.

I do see a scenario where she comes back, but I think it's much more likely that she will turn pro. She has nothing left to prove in amateur golf. She's only the second woman in history to win the USGA Junior, USGA Amateur, and NCAA Individual titles (Pat Hurst of SJSU is the other) and the only one to tack on Augusta but that's very new so I'm not counting it. She's also already the only player - man or woman - to win back to back NCAA individual titles.

Seay is more interesting and I have no idea what she's going to do. Given her scholarship awards, my guess is that she's graduating this year. She's majoring in Human Biology, which I think is very much a pre-med major so going after a masters degree seems less likely. It's not clear to me that LPGA is even on her radar, or how well her game will translate to the professional ranks.

Thanks for posting your thoughts on this.  I saw that we have one signed incoming golfer, this time from Spain, seems like an excellent prospect.  With two seniors on the roster plus Rose Zahn I wondered why only one recruit.  I don't know if either of the seniors have a covid year, it does seem Seay may well be moving on with her academic career.  If Rachel returns to form, a return group of Heck, Xu, Englemann, and Ganne is a pretty good group,  then there are Becht and Sturdza. 
Did we only have one scholarship to give for this year?  The cupboard isn't bare for next year.

[M T]

As one would expect, Rose Zhang won the ANNIKA award.
"As a result of winning the 2023 ANNIKA Award, Zhang receives an exemption to compete in the 2024 Amundi Evian Championship, one of the LPGA Tour’s five major championships."

[M T]

As one would expect, Rose Zhang won the ANNIKA award.
"As a result of winning the 2023 ANNIKA Award, Zhang receives an exemption to compete in the 2024 Amundi Evian Championship, one of the LPGA Tour’s five major championships."

[skip75]

 She's also already the only player - man or woman - to win back to back NCAA individual titles.

True for the women, but several men have accomplished this - including Ben Crenshaw with a 3-peat.

[skip75]

 She's also already the only player - man or woman - to win back to back NCAA individual titles.

True for the women, but several men have accomplished this - including Ben Crenshaw with a 3-peat.

[MVDan]

Rose goes pro:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FxD2P2sXwAA4...name=large

[MVDan]

Rose goes pro:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FxD2P2sXwAA4...name=large

[winflop]

Well that didn't take long...

https://gostanford.com/news/2023/5/26/wo...s-pro.aspx

[winflop]

Well that didn't take long...

https://gostanford.com/news/2023/5/26/wo...s-pro.aspx