14-year-old Angela Zhang wins WA Women's Amateur for 2nd time, set to play in U.S. Women's Open

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. - Angela Zhang has yet to attend even a single day of high school, but she's now already a two-time Washington Women's Amateur champion and will play in the U.S. Women's Open at Pebble Beach for the first time next month.

The 14-year-old Zhang won the Washington Women's Amateur for the second straight year on Thursday in an eight-shot victory over Gonzaga sophomore Grace Lee at Wing Point Golf and Country Club on Bainbridge Island.

"It feels great," Zhang said on Thursday. "It's very special for me to get the win in this event for a second time."

Zhang was the only player in the field to card a round in the 60s over the three days of the tournament on the 6,100-yard layout. Zhang delivered a 2-under par 69 in the second round that gave her a seven-shot lead entering Thursday's final round. Zhang bogeyed two of her first three holes in the final round before jumping back into cruise control. She shot 1-under over her final 15 holes to repeat as champion.

"Definitely got off to a bit of a rough start today," Zhang said. "Just really didn't get into the groove of playing golf. I just tried to remind myself that I had a big lead and it might have got cut down a couple strokes but I still had a five-shot lead, just kind of relax a little bit and just go back to sticking to my game plan and playing the way that I know I can."

Zhang became the youngest player to win the Washington Women's Amateur last year at just 13 years old. Zhang beat Washington State senior Darcy Habgood by one shot at Moses Lake Golf Club.

"Last year was definitely a battle," Zhang said. "Definitely a lot easier and less stress this year."

At Wing Point, Zhang shot 1-over par for the tournament with rounds of 73-69-72.

"I think in these championships, they obviously set up the course quite challenging and par is always a good score," Zhang said. "I mean, I think like somewhere around even (par) wins pretty much every year so just try to grind it out out there."

That mindset should serve Zhang well as she competes in the U.S. Women's Open at Pebble Beach. It's the first time that Pebble Beach Golf Links will serve as a major championship site for the women's game after previously hosting six U.S. Open championships and the annual AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA Tour.

"It's really exciting," Zhang said. "Trying to just play these tournaments to try to get myself better prepared for that event. And yeah, just really looking forward to testing my game against the best players in the world."

Zhang earned a spot in the U.S. Women’s Open after surviving a four-for-two playoff at sectional qualifying at Shannopin Country Club in Pittsburgh, Pa. in May. 

Zhang, who turned 14 on May 5, posted scores of 70 and 73 over the 36-hole qualifier on the 6,250-yard, par 71 course at Shannopin Country Club. She finished regulation play tied with three other players for the best score of the day. However, only two players would make it through to Pebble Beach. 

"It was probably the most nervous I've ever been on a golf course," Zhang said. "But thankfully I was able to pull off some good shots and get me through."

Zhang and former USC golfer and Epson Tour pro Amelia Garvey survived the playoff to clinch the two spots. Zhang sank a 25-foot putt for birdie on the second playoff hole to advance.

"That was just super exciting," Zhang said. "I honestly wasn't exactly expecting it to go in. It was 25 feet. It was quite a long putt. As it was getting close to the hole I saw it was tracking and I was like ‘oh go in!’ So that was super exciting for that to happen."

Luckily for Zhang, it won't be the first time she has been able to compete alongside the stars of the LPGA. Earlier this month, Zhang got to play in the Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J. The tournament pairs a standard stroke play tournament for the LPGA with a Stableford format championship for 24 of the top players in the American Junior Golf Association. 

Zhang was able to play alongside Chella Choi and Pornanong Phatlum on Saturday, and Alison Lee and Nasa Hataoka on Sunday. Hataoka is a six-time LPGA winner and two-time major championship runner-up. Choi has also won on the LPGA tour while Lee and Phatlum have both won the Ladies European Tour.

Zhang said she looks up to players such as Lydia Ko and Nelly Korda – both former World No. 1 players – and LPGA rookie Rose Zhang. Despite the shared last name, Angela and Rose aren't related. Rose just turned pro after one of the most accomplished amateur careers ever seen in the women's game.

"She's just absolutely amazing," Zhang said of Rose.

Rose would win the Mizuho Americas Open, which was her first professional event after winning her second straight NCAA individual championship in a row as part of the Stanford golf team in May. Rose is also a U.S. Women's Amateur champion (2020) and the 2023 Augusta National Women's Amateur champion. She racked up 12 victories in just 20 collegiate events over the last two years as well before going pro.

"I'd actually been able to meet her earlier that week," Zhang said of Rose. "She's just an even better person than she is a player and so gracious. And I was just so happy for her to be able to accomplish something like that."

Zhang is well on her way to authoring her own standout junior resume. Zhang followed up her state amateur title last year with a Washington Junior Girls State Championship at Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club, becoming the youngest winner of the overall championship in history. In total, Zhang won four American Junior Golf Association tournaments and seven Washington Junior Golf Association tournaments in 2022 and was named the Washington State Golf Association Girls Junior Player of the Year.

Then in April, Zhang won the WSGA’s Champion of Champions tournament at the Home Course in Dupont by 11 shots over University of Washington sophomore Kennedy Knox. Zhang shot a women’s course record of 65 and a second round 70 to clinch yet another title.

Zhang then paired with fellow 14-year-old Alice Ziyi Zhao in the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball tournament held at the Home Course in May. Zhang and Zhao advanced to the semifinals of the event before losing two down to UCLA’s Kate Villegas and UC Riverside’s Tiffany Le.

"I think just to make as far as we did really gave me a lot of confidence that my game can hold up against the best players in junior and amateur golf," Zhang said.

Now Zhang will get to test her game in a major championship for the first time in the U.S. Women's Open.

"I think the strength of my game is just making pars, like grinding it out out there," Zhang said. "I'm not really someone who just goes out and makes like 10 birdies a round. So I think, yeah, U.S. Open, especially at Pebble where pars are a really good score will suit my game well."

Zhang is set to play for Bellevue High School in the fall.

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