Tag: Rachel Heck

A world champion rope skipper and rower, strange superstitions, and more: (At least) 80 things you didn’t know about the 80 competitors at the Spirit International

Don’t worry about the next generation of golfers. They’ve got some game and some mad skills too.

TRINITY, Texas – Don’t worry about the next generation of golfers. They’ve got some game and some mad skills too.

Players from 20 different countries are competing in the Spirit International Amateur Championship, dubbed golf’s Olympics. Someday soon, many of them will be household names. Spirit alumni have gone on to win more than 650 professional titles, 25 major championships and have made 56 Olympic appearances. That group includes 16 PGA Tour winners, 27 European Tour winners, 24 LPGA winners and 23 Ladies European Tour winners.

Each country is represented by two female and two male amateur golfers, each of whom had to fill out a player bio questionnaire prior to their arrival at Whispering Pines. They are chock full of fun facts such as that one of the players is a world-champion rope skipper while another excelled at dog-sled racing. Who knew! One girl enjoys doing her makeup in her free time while many have exceptional taste in their favorite movies.

As for your intrepid reporter, he was pleasantly pleased to see that the No. 1 amateur in the world, Rose Zhang, enjoys reading in her spare time. Good to know that at least one young person still likes to read. Without further ado, here are 80 fun facts about the 80-person field.

Team Argentina

Ela Anacona, 21, University of Arkansas: She’s already made eight aces and her career-low round is 66.

Valentina Rossi, 20, Michigan State: Won the 2019 Argentina Amateur and advanced to the semifinals of the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Segundo Oliva Pinto, 22, University of Arkansas: Considers Angel Cabrera the greatest influence on his golf game. His favorite band is Queen and his favorite movie is Meet Joe Black.

Matteo Fernandez de Oliveira, 21, University of Arkansas: Won the Argentine Junior Championships at the Under 13 and Under 15 levels, and twice at the Under 18 level. Uses a coin with a hog emblem to mark his balls.

Team Belgium

Rebecca Becht, 19, Stanford University: Won the 2019 Belgian National Junior Championship and will repeat her breakfast from any day that she plays well.

Elsie Verhoeven, 19, Old Dominion: Her favorite food is meatballs in tomato sauce with French fries.

Matthis Besard, 21, Southern Illinois University: His favorite musician is Martin Garrix and his favorite movie is Good Will Hunting.

Louis Theys, 23, Western Carolina: He is very superstitious about his daily routine during tournaments.

Team Canada

Savannah Grewal, 19, Clemson University: Diagnosed with a heart condition at age 14 and underwent successful surgery in November 2020. She won the 14-15 age division of the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals in 2017, and her favorite food is her mom’s Swedish pancakes.

Noemie Pare, 24, Barry University: She can play the violin, piano, drums and guitar.

Henry Lee, 23, University of Washington: He began playing golf at age 6 after going with his dad to the driving range and likes to work out in his free time.

Johnny Travale, 20, University of Central Florida: The winner of the 2019 Tavistock Collegiate Invitational, Travale considers Tiger Woods the greatest influence on his golf game and lists Drake as a his favorite musician.

Team Chinese Taipei

Yi-Han Chang, 20, National Taiwan Sport University: She has earned entry into multiple professional events in Taiwan.

You-Chuan Sung, 20, National Taiwan Sport University: Learned the game from her father, who is a golf instructor in Taiwan, and also enjoys doing makeup in her free time.

Yi-Hsuan Wu, 16: He will not eat chicken before a competition, and his favorite food is tofu.

Yu-Yang Wu (Eddie), 17: He finished third at the Yeangder National Amateur Open in Taiwan, and posted a career-low 65 at the 2020 Spring Ranking National Championship in Taiwan.

Team Colombia

Maria Bohorquez, 20: She earned three wins and nine top-10 finishes over the past two years to earn a ranking of No. 85 in WAGR. She also made the Round of 32 at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Valery Plata, 20, Michigan State: Reached the semifinals at the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur and was named 2020 Big Ten Player of the Year. She was Colombia’s Under 18 national champion in 2017.

Daniel Faccini, 23, Barry University: Likes to wear only blue when he plays golf, and his favorite movie is Ratatouille.

Juan Camilo Vesga Solano, 19, University of Arkansas: The top-ranked Colombian junior from 2018-2020, he always listens to the same music before each round.

Team Denmark

Cecilie Finn-Ipsen, 23, Florida State: She won the Danish National Amateur in 2019.

Natacha Host Husted, 20, Ole Miss: She always uses the same divot repair tool and Mickey Mouse ball marker when she plays.

Alexander Frances, 24, University of Houston: His best memory in golf was watching Team Europe win the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor. His father, a golf professional, introduced him to the game at a young age.

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, 22, Oklahoma State: Won back-to-back German International  Amateur Championships in 2018-19. His favorite musicians are Ian Dior, Kid Laroi and Machine Gun Kelly.

Team England

Annabell Fuller, 19, University of Florida: Her most memorable experience in golf was playing Augusta National, where she finished 22nd at the 2021 Augusta National Women’s Amateur. She also made the cut in the 2021 AIG Women’s British Open.

Amelia Williamson, 21, Florida State: She is a member of the English record-holding rowing team in the 100,000 meters, is an avid skier and enjoys cooking in her spare time.

Conor Gough, 19, UNC-Charlotte: Participated in the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup. His favorite meal is spaghetti Bolognese.

Joseph Pagdin, 19, University of Florida: The 2021 SEC Freshman of the Year also reached the semifinals of the 2019 U.S. Junior Amateur.

Team Finland

Daniella Barrett, 22, University of Miami: She began playing golf at age 9, and earned two top-10 finishes in Finnish professional events in 2020.

Krista Junkkari, 21, University of North Carolina: Her dad, who was the greatest influence on her golf game, died in 2017. Her favorite movies are Deadpool and Kingsman: The Secret Service.

Elias Haavisto, 22, University of West Florida: She won the 2021 Gulf South Conference Championship and was named GCAA/Ping First Team All-America in 2020.

Veeti Mahonen, 21, Ole Miss: He won the 2017 Finnish Junior National Championship and said representing his country is the greatest honor for an amateur golfer.

Team France

Adela Cernousek, 18, Texas A&M: Her parents were professional volleyball players.

Justine Fournand, 21, University of South Carolina: Named Conference USA Player of the Year in 2021.

Bastien Amat, 19, University of New Mexico: His hobbies include learning about science and space and extreme sports, and he counts all of the Star Wars movies as her favorites.

Tom Gueant, 20, University of Oregon: Winner of the 2019 British Boys Championship. He only plays yellow golf balls and his favorite food is raclette.

Team Iceland

Huida Clara Gestsdottir, University of Denver: Represented Iceland in the 2020 and ’21 European Ladies Team Championship.

Ragga Kristindottir, 24, Eastern Kentucky University: She only carries white tees and always carries exactly three. Her favorite musician is Morgan Wallen.

Lenny Bergsson, 22, University of North Texas: He won the Icelandic Under 18 Stroke Play Championship in 2015.

Dagbjartur Sigurbrandsson, 18, University of Missouri: His most memorable golf experience was his first win on the Icelandic Men’s Tour in 2019. His golfing heroes are Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods.

Team Ireland

Sara Byrne, 20, University of Miami: She always plays golf wearing a necklace with a picture of her dog on it. Made a hole-in-one at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland.

Aine Donegan, 19, Indiana University: She shot her career-low score, a 65 at Lahinch, earlier this year, and her favorite food is a cinnamon bun.

Paul Conroy, 21, University of Chattanooga: His most memorable golf experience is getting to play with former British Open champ Darren Clarke. His favorite food is steak and his favorite movie is Step Brothers.

Sam Murphy, 19, Grand Canyon University: Winner of both the Irish Under 18 Boys Amateur Close Championship and 2021 Kerry Scratch Cup, he also is an accomplished rugby player.

Team Italy

Alessia Nobilio, UCLA: She played in the 2018 Youth Olympics, and counts The Vampire Diaries as her favorite TV show and Tom Hanks as her favorite actor.

Anna Zanusso, 21, University of Denver: Placed 35th at the 2021 Augusta National Women’s Amateur. She enjoys cooking and her favorite food is pizza.

Filippo Celli, 21, TCU: He finished second in the 2021 Italian Amateur Stroke Play Championship.

Lucas Fallotico, 18, Florida Gulf Coast University: He began playing golf at age 2 with his father, who is a professional. His favorite movie is Back to the Future.

Team Mexico

Isabella Fierro, 20, Oklahoma State: She has overcome two wrist surgeries to continue her golf career. She shot 62 in Scotland when she was 11 years old.

Cory Lopez, 19, University of Arkansas: She began playing golf on the beach with plastic clubs. Her favorite band is the Jonas Brothers.

Luis Carrera, 21, University of Central Florida: Learned the game from his father at age 4. He made his only hole-in-one at age 6.

Alex Fierro, 16: He won the 2021 Mexican Junior Amateur, and his goal is to play at Augusta National someday. He has made two aces, one at TPC Scottsdale and the other at TPC Doral.

Team Norway

Julie Boysen Hillestad, 21, East Carolina University: She is a world champion sled-dog racer, along with her mom and brother. She gave it up to focus on golf at age 15.  Her favorite food is Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes and gravy.

Emilie Overas, 21, University of Alabama: She earned two top-11 finishes in Norwegian professional events in 2020.

Mats Ege, 21, East Tennessee State University: He won the 2020 Golfweek Moorpark Amateur. He played soccer, handball and golf in high school.

Baard Skogen, 20, Texas Tech University: He won the Norwegian Junior National Championship in 2017.

Team Scotland

Carmen Griffiths, 17, University of Louisville: She calls winning the 2021 Scottish Girls Amateur Championship her most memorable experience in golf. Her favorite movie is Some Kind of Wonderful.

Katie Graham, 17, Iowa Western Community College: Her favorite musician is Post Malone and her favorite food is steak.

Eric McIntosh, 22, Northwestern University: His career-low score is 62 at Crail Golfing Society. His favorite musical group is U2 and his favorite food is Indian.

John Paterson, 21, University of Colorado: His hometown is St. Andrews; he finished fifth at the 2019 Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship.

Team South Africa

Caitlyn Macnab, 19, TCU: She played in her first tournament on her fifth birthday. Her favorite food is lasagna and her favorite movie is The Hunger Games.

Kaylah Williams, 19, Florida State: She began playing golf at age 3 with a plastic set of clubs. She won’t use a No. 3 golf ball.

Christo Lamprecht, 20, Georgia Tech: His most memorable golf experience is getting to compete at the 2017 and ’19 Junior Presidents Cup. He considers Louis Oosthuizen the greatest influence on his golf game.

Kieron Van Wyk, 19, College of Charleston: His most memorable experience was hitting balls with Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods is the reason he began playing golf in the first place.

Team Spain

Carolina Lopez-Chacarra, 18, Wake Forest: She began playing golf to follow her grandparents; she considers her older brother the greatest influence on her golf game.

Teresa Toscano, 24, South Dakota State University: She won the 2021 Summit League Championship and reached the quarterfinals of the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Albert Boneta, New Mexico State University: His favorite professional athlete is Rafael Nadal, his favorite food is pizza and his favorite movie is Point Break.

Alvaro Muller Baumgart Lucena, 19, UCLA: An only child, he was born in Munich, Germany. He enjoys paddle, tennis and bowling in his free time.

Team Sweden

Kajsa Arwefjall, 21, San Jose State University: Her dad is a former professional golfer and her mom an accomplished skier. Her brother plays hockey for Miami (OH). She is a former world champion rope skipper.

Andrea Lignell, 21, Ole Miss: Her most memorable golf experience was winning the 2021 NCAA women’s team title. Her superstition is she won’t play with a Titleist No. 4 ball. Her favorite movie is Slumdog Millionaire.

Albin Bergstrom, 22, University of South Florida: He won the 2021 American Conference Championship and helped Sweden win the 2019 European Amateur Team Championship.

Hugo Townsend, 22, Boise State University: He was named Mountain West Golfer of the Year in 2021. He qualified for match play at the last two U.S. Amateurs.

Team Switzerland

Carolina Sturdza, 18, Stanford University: She scored a career-best 65 at the Flumsberg Ladies Open in 2020. Her favorite place to visit is Key West.

Chiara Tamburlini, 21, Ole Miss: She is the winner of multiple Junior Swiss National Championships and counts being a member of the winning 2021 NCAA Championship as her most memorable experience in the game.

Loic Ettlin, 20, Mississippi State University: Enjoys walking his dogs, drawing and going to the beach in his spare time. His favorite food is sushi.

Ronan Kleu, 21, University of Iowa: His career-low round is a 61 at his home club in Switzerland. His favorite movie is Cars.

Team USA

Rachel Heck, 20, Stanford University: She enjoys drawing and painting in her free time. Her favorite food is smoothies and her favorite movie is Shawshank Redemption.

Rose Zhang, 18, Stanford University: She also speaks Mandarin in addition to English, and enjoys reading and playing other sports in her free time.

Sam Bennett, Texas A&M: His most memorable experience in golf was playing in the 2021 Valero Texas Open. He played soccer, tennis, basketball and baseball in high school.

James Piot, 22, Michigan State University: He began playing at age 4. Shot a career-low 62 at the Southern Amateur this year. His favorite musician is Morgan Wallen, his favorite food is tacos and his favorite movie is Step Brothers.

James Piot, Rose Zhang pace Team USA at Spirit International; Team Canada leads by 2

James Piot, Rose Zhang pace Team USA during the first day of the Spirit International Amateur Championship.

TRINITY, Texas – During a practice round for the Spirit International Amateur Championship, U.S. Amateur champion James Piot sidled up to his American teammates Rose Zhang and Rachel Heck and let them know his plan for victory.

“You guys are carrying us this week,” said Piot of the four-person American side that also included Texas A&M’s Sam Bennett. “You girls are the heart and soul of the team this week.”

That’s a pretty sound strategy given the immense talent of the two Stanford teammates: Zhang, the reigning World No. 1 women’s amateur and Heck the reigning NCAA women’s individual champion. The two also teamed up to help Team USA win the Walker Cup. On Thursday at Whispering Pines Golf Club, Piot did his part making six birdies en route to an opening-round 4-under 68. That propelled Team U.S. to shoot a total of 6-under 210, and trail Team Canada by two strokes in the Team Championship.

“We really got off to a pretty bad start,” said Team USA captain Stacy Lewis, of what at one time was as many as a six-stroke deficit, “but James and Rose really rallied and kind of saved the day for us.”

The Spirit features a unique format with some new wrinkles this year. The 80 competitors from 20 countries are competing for gold, silver and bronze medals over 54 holes of stroke play competition. Each country is represented by two women and two men amateur golfers. There are five concurrent competitions in play at The Spirit: Team Championship, Men’s Team, Women’s Team, Men’s Individual and Women’s Individual.

In a change for this year’s championship, the Team Championship format uses the best three scores from each four-person team. The Men’s and Women’s Team format combines both players’ individual scores. The Men’s and Women’s Individual format simply is each player’s gross score over the 54 holes.

Piot rebounded from a double bogey at the seventh hole after he tugged his drive left and into the thick stuff. Due to wet conditions, players were allowed to move their ball the length of a scorecard and Piot attempted a hero’s shot that went wrong.

“It was a college-kid mistake, I’d call it, thinking I could DeChambeau it out of there,” he said. “It turned my club over and my ball went into the trees 40 yards left. Making a six was a pretty fortunate break because it could’ve been really bad. I learned my lesson. I’ll just chip out next time.”

Zhang matched Piot’s six birdies, but also matched him with a double bogey on the card as she recorded a 3-under 69. At No. 4, Zhang pushed her drive way right and it led to a double bogey. “I think Rose hit the worst drive I’ve ever seen her hit,” said Lewis. “On days like this when it’s hard that’s when you find out how good someone is.”

Zhang showed her mettle, playing her final 14 holes in 5 under, and grabbed a one-stroke lead in the women’s individual competition over her fellow Stanford teammate, Switzerland’s Caroline Sturdza. Zhang credited her birdie at No. 10 with turning the tide.

“I rolled in a 25-footer,” she said. “I was able to bounce back from a couple of shaky holes when I started out. That hole really helped me turn it around.”

Bennett blamed a balky putter for four three-putt greens as he shot 1-over 73. Heck wasn’t making excuses but said she was feeling under the weather and had been sucking on cough drops all day as she shot an uncharacteristic 5-over 77. (Her score didn’t count in the competition.)

“I was proud of the fight,” Lewis said of her team. “James birdied the last two which was huge and Rose had a good finish, too. We’re still in it.”

Everyone is chasing Team Canada, which may have benefited from its experience in cold weather. Temperatures were hovering in the mid 40s in the morning but it didn’t seem to bother Team Canada, which combined for an 8-under 208 total in the Team Championship competition. The team was paced by Johnny Travale’s bogey-free, 5-under 67.

Travale, a senior at UCF, said four years in Orlando has thinned his blood. He wore four layers on the front nine, including a hoodie for the first time while playing golf that he kept over his head.

“It really helped because when the back of the neck starts getting cold that’s when it is over,” he said.

On 18, he stuck an 8-iron from 165 yards to 6 feet to cap off his round, which also secured a one-stroke lead over Piot in the men’s individual competition.

Travale’s teammate Henry Lee fired a 2-under 70 that included four birdies. Lee currently is tied for fourth place in the Men’s Individual competition. Savannah Grewal’s 1-under 71 was the third score that counted for Team Canada in the Team Championship competition. Grewal birdied the par-4 11th and 13th holes and logged her only bogey on the par-5 12th. She’s tied for third place in the Women’s Individual competition.

Team France, the defending champions from 2019, holds third place in the Team Championship at 2-under 214.

Canada leads the Men’s Team competition at 7-under 137. Team USA is in second place at 3-under 141. Belgium holds third place at 2-under 142.

Switzerland sits atop of the Women’s Team competition at 2-under 142. Colombia and France share second place at 1-under 143.

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Coaches take note of strong Stanford lineup, leaving Cardinal atop WGCA Preseason Coaches Poll

At the Division I level, Stanford has coaches’ full attention.

Another sign college golf is close? The Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) has released the results of the 2021-22 Preseason WGCA Coaches Poll.

At the Division I level, Stanford has coaches’ full attention as the Cardinal prepare to return reigning NCAA individual champion Rachel Heck as well as bring in world No. 1 amateur Rose Zhang. Stanford garnered 17 first-place votes and landed at the top of the poll.

Duke follows with two first-place votes and Ole Miss, the defending champion, also received two first-place votes but landed in sixth.

Wake Forest, LSU and Oklahoma State fall in between.

Take a look at the full poll below.

Rank University (First Place Votes) Points
1 Stanford University (17) 513
2 Duke University (2) 489
3 Wake Forest University 435
T4 Louisiana State University 423
T4 Oklahoma State University 423
6 University of Mississippi (2) 420
7 Florida State University 360
8 Arizona State University 351
9 University of Texas 350
10 University of South Carolina 338
11 University of Southern California 336
12 Auburn University 317
13 University of Arizona 266
14 University of Oregon 234
15 Baylor University 224
16 University of California, Los Angeles 196
17 University of Virginia 179
18 University of Arkansas 172
19 University of Georgia 156
20 Virginia Tech 127
21 University of Florida 70
22 Vanderbilt University 64
23 University of Kentucky 58
24 University of Michigan 58
25 Kent State University 57

Others Receiving Votes: University of Alabama (55); Michigan State University (42); University of Maryland (35); Northwestern University (18); University of Houston (11); Texas Tech University (10); University of Oklahoma (9); Mississippi State University (6); University of Miami (6); Texas A&M University (5); University of Tennessee (5); Pepperdine University (4); The University of Tulsa (1); University of Central Florida (1); University of Illinois (1)

World’s No. 1 amateur Rose Zhang highlights early members of 2021 United States Curtis Cup team

Zhang is the defending champion at both the U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior.

The United States team for the 2021 Curtis Cup is starting to take shape.

On Monday the U.S. Golf Association announced Rose Zhang, Rachel Heck and Allisen Corpuz as the first three members to represent Team USA in the match against Great Britain and Ireland at Conwy Golf Club in North Wales, Aug. 26-28.

“The level of talent in the women’s amateur game has never been stronger,” said U.S. captain Sarah Ingram, a three-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion and three-time Curtis Cup team member. “Rose, Rachel and Allisen have all had unbelievably impressive years, with notable accomplishments at the junior, amateur and collegiate levels, and we’re honored and fortunate to have them a part of the USA Team.”

Zhang, the world’s No. 1 amateur, recently won the U.S. Girls’ Junior and will defend her U.S. Women’s Amateur title next month. Heck won the NCAA individual title as a freshman at Stanford and claimed the 2021 ANNIKA Award as the nation’s top collegiate female golfer. Corpuz recently graduated from USC and has competed in 16 USGA championships.

The USGA’s selection group will choose the five remaining players. American winners of either the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur or the 2021 McCormack Medal will earn automatic spots on the team. The U.S. won the last Curtis Cup in 2018 on home soil. The biennial competition was postponed last year due to the global pandemic.

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Stanford freshman Rachel Heck wins everything, sets new NCAA scoring record

Rachel Heck’s remarkable freshman campaign ended in record fashion: with a new NCAA scoring record.

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – Rachel Heck’s remarkable freshman campaign ended in record fashion: Her 69.72 scoring average set a new NCAA record. Alabama’s Lauren Stephenson held the previous record of 69.76, set in 2018.

Heck won six times in nine starts in 2021, including her last five events. She became the third player in NCAA history to sweep the postseason, winning the Pac-12 Championship, NCAA regionals and nationals. She posted 15 of 25 rounds in the 60s, including 12 consecutive. Her closing 74 at the NCAA Championship was her first over-par round since mid-March.

“She drives the ball really long and really well,” said Walker, “so she’s got short irons in. Every pin is in play for her. A lot these kids are hitting longer clubs and therefore she can get it inside 20 feet … and she’s a heckuva putter.”

The aggressive Heck had a tendency to go for every pin when she arrived at Stanford. Robert, who caddies often for his middle child, noticed a difference in his daughter’s game when he looped for her at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April.

Related: Rachel Heck wins ANNIKA Award

Stanford’s Rachel Heck shares a warm embrace with her father after winning the NCAA Championship. (Darren Reese/Stanford)

“I will say that her game has matured tremendously these last three months,” said Robert. “I give coach full credit for that. She’s picking much better shots. Her course management is way ahead of where it was three months ago.”

During the final round of the NCAAs, Walker strode alongside Heck throughout the day helping talk over strategy. Going into the 72nd hole, a 495-yard par 5, she held a one-stroke lead over Emma Spitz.

Heck hit a solid drive, leaving her a 5-iron in from 190 yards. Walker encouraged a conservative approach. Heck hit pitching wedge to 64 yards and then hit a 58-degree wedge for her third shot, two-putting for the championship. She became the first Stanford player to win the NCAA individual title.

“She has, in such a short period, grown into our team leader,” said Walker, “the face of the program and a very deserving face of the program.”

NCAA Division I Scoring Leaders:

Rachel Heck, Stanford (2020-21) 69.72

Lauren Stephenson, Alabama (2017-18) 69.76

Lorena Ochoa, Arizona (2001-02) 70.13

Leona Maguire, Duke (2016-17) 70.29

Lilia Vu, UCLA (2017-18) 70.37

Cheyenne Knight, Alabama (2016-17) 70.45

Maria Fassi, Arkansas (2017-18) 70.50

Kristen Gillman, Alabama (2017-18) 70.55

Jennifer Kupcho, Wake Forest (2017-18) 70.60

Jennifer Kupcho, Wake Forest (2016-17) 70.61

Bronte Law, UCLA (2015-16) 70.61

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Rachel Heck caps magical freshman season with ANNIKA Award

Rachel Heck won six times, including at the NCAA Championship, in an incredible freshman season.

Rachel Heck arrived on campus at Stanford 101 days ago. For a while there, she wondered if the day would ever come. Like so many, she’d been a remote college freshman since the fall, studying and practicing on her own back home in Memphis.

A happy Heck couldn’t wait to put on a Stanford uniform, live beside her teammates and create hype lists for the van. The Cardinal fell short of the ultimate goal, a team title, when they lost to Arizona in overtime on a heartbreaking putt in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship. But Heck put together a season the golf world won’t soon forget.

“I don’t really think that any of us can wrap our arms around it,” said Stanford coach Anne Walker.

On Monday, Heck was crowned NCAA individual champion. Now she’s the 2021 ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel winner, given to the best player in Division I golf based on a vote by her peers, plus coaches, golf media and SIDs. The honor also comes with an exemption into the Amundi Evian Championship, an LPGA major.

Heck remembers being a junior player, excitedly running to her mother to share the news that the ANNIKA Award’s Instagram account had followed her personal account.

“I thought it was the coolest thing ever,” she said. “I thought maybe one day I could crack the list possibly. To actually be on the list and then actually win the award.”

Heck won six times over the course of nine starts, becoming only the third player in history to sweep the postseason by winning conference, regionals and nationals. Annie Park did the same at USC in 2013 as a freshman. Arizona’s Marisa Baena became the first player to do it in 1996, also as a freshman. Both Heck and Park pulled off the trifecta in their first semester in school.

Anne Walker, Rachel Heck

Heck, who next week competes in the U.S. Women’s Open at Olympic, competed in the 2018 Evian Championship, an LPGA major, and finished tied for 44th, calling it one of the best weeks of her life.

“I can’t wait for another family trip to France,” she said.

Heck won her last five consecutive events in college and had 12 consecutive rounds in the 60s, including a 66 at Olympic from tees that are longer than the USWO setup and from Sunday hole locations used at the 2012 U.S. Open. Her closing 74 at the NCAA Championship was her first over-par round since mid-March.

She ended the season ranked No. 1 by Golfweek and boasts the lowest scoring average in NCAA history, putting up a 69.72 average in 25 rounds. Alabama’s Lauren Stephenson set the previous record of 69.76 in 2018.

Heck’s parents came out to watch at Grayhawk as did Nora Tyson, the retired Navy vice admiral who helped inspire Heck to join the ROTC at Stanford in hopes of serving in the Air Force Reserve after she graduates.

“I think on the outside I looked OK,” said Robert Heck after watching his daughter battle down the stretch for the NCAA title. “On the inside, I’m amazed I was able to stay on my feet.”

Heck suffered a back injury in the summer between her sophomore and junior year of high school that put her in pain for the better part of 18 months. She went through several rounds of injections and dutifully did 90 minutes of therapy with her mother daily.

She was miserable on the golf course, her father said. Heck said she was drowning in self-afflicted pressure. It was during that time period that she started to explore the idea of the military. When she came back to golf after the injury and the pandemic, Heck reemerged with a new perspective.

“Her day and her mood is not defined by score,” said Robert, “and that has freed her up.”

For Heck, the fact that her peers play a role in the award is especially meaningful.

“They’re the reason I play golf,” she said, “the reason I look forward to these tournaments … of course I love golf, but I was just so excited to hang out with my friends and have ping pong and putting contests.”

STANFORD, CA – MAY 12: Rachel Heck during the final round of the NCAA Stanford Regional at Stanford Golf Course on May 12, 2021 in Stanford, California.

List of ANNIKA Award winners

2020 – Natalie Srinivasan, Furman

2019 – Maria Fassi, Arkansas

2018 – Maria Fassi, Arkansas

2017 – Leona Maguire, Duke

2016 – Bronte Law, UCLA

2015 – Leona Maguire, Duke

2014 – Alison Lee, UCLA

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Nichols: Stanford’s Rachel Heck wins NCAA championship, becomes third player to sweep the postseason. Here’s why she won’t turn pro.

Playing in her first NCAA Championship, freshman Rachel Heck earns medalist honors at Grayhawk Golf Club.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Rachel Heck paused for a somber moment after she heard the name Victoria Pinckney on the first tee. On Friday, every player in field at the NCAA Championship played in memory of a fallen U.S. soldier. Air Force captain Pinckney, a 27-year-old mom, died in Kyrgyzstan while serving during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Heck walked over to the starter to write down Pinckney’s name before she left the tee box. The Stanford freshman held a 5-shot lead going into the final round, but at this moment, her mind was far away from what was on the line. Heck joined the ROTC program at Stanford and hopes to serve in the Air Force Reserve while competing on the LPGA.

It was a battle, but Heck went on to win the NCAA Championship by a shot over UCLA’s Emma Spitz. Heck shot a final round 74 to finish at 8 under. She’s the first Cardinal to win medalists honors at the NCAAs. The Memphis product also became only the third player in history to sweep the postseason by winning conference, regionals and nationals. Annie Park did the same at USC in 2013 as a freshman. Arizona’s Marisa Baena became the first in 1996, also as a freshman. Both Heck and Park pulled off the trifecta in their first semester in school.

The upbeat Heck, 19, arrived on campus Feb. 13 after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the fall semester and promptly won six times in nine starts.

Some might wonder, what’s left to prove?

When Park dominated the postseason eight years ago, it looked like she might take a bullet train to the LPGA, and no one would’ve blamed her. There are examples of great players who seemingly stayed too long in school and spun their wheels. Some even got worse.

There are far, far more players, however, who turned pro too early and sputtered at the next level, joining the where-are-they-now heap.

What should Heck do?

The smile says it all: She’s having the time of her life.

Before Heck teed off on Monday, she walked over to teammate Angelina Ye and wrapped her up in a bear hug. Ye was in second place and playing in the group ahead.

“I’ll be cheering from behind,” Heck told her.

NCAA Womens Golf: NCAA Women's Golf Championship
Stanford golfer Rachel Heck tees off on the 11th hole during the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. Photo by Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

The team before self is genuine with Heck, who lives it out every day in ROTC training. It’s at her core, and it seems that no amount of success this semester can tempt her away from Stanford life.

Loyalty runs deep in her veins.

Heck is writing a story is bound to transcend sports media let alone golf. No woman has ever served in the military reserves while competing on the LPGA. Sponsors should line up to be a part of Heck’s story, to help spread a wholesome message of service, sacrifice and excellence.

It’s hard to quantify exactly how much Heck’s passion for ROTC has freed her up to play such remarkable golf. The quest to become the best player in the world is no longer all-consuming for her.

One thing is certain, it’s an important message for parents of young players everywhere.

Encourage the pursuit of other passions. Think long-term. Don’t pressure your kid.

The grind can wait. Do what makes you happy.

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Stanford leads by 20 at NCAA Championship with freshman Rachel Heck in position for a rare postseason sweep

Stanford currently holds a 20-stroke lead over Duke at the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk after three rounds.

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – After Stanford won its regional by 30 shots, head coach Anne Walker did everything she could to help her team hit the reset button. Dominant victories can take an emotional toll. She encouraged her players to put their clubs away for several days. Take time to decompress.

Stanford currently holds a 20-stroke lead over Duke at the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk heading into the final round of stroke play. Just like regionals, Rachel Heck and Angelina Ye sit 1-2 in the individual race. Brooke Seay added a 69 and is tied for fifth.

Ye bogeyed her first five holes this week but is now 5 under for the championship, five back from Heck. She carded a career-best 7-under 65 on Sunday, tying Andrea Lee for lowest round in NCAA Championship history for the program.

Angelina Ye’s 65 tied Andrea Lee’s school record for lowest round at NCAAs. (Stanford/Darren Reese)

The top eight teams advance to match play after Monday’s final round. Stanford won the 2015 NCAA Championship at The Concession, the first year the women switched formats to match play. They’ve advanced to the final eight every year since.

Heck is the top-ranked player in the country having won five tournaments this semester, including the Pac-12 Championship and regionals. What will it be like having a teammate chase her tomorrow?

“I’ll be playing behind her,” said Heck. “I’m hoping I get to watch her make putts and wave back at her, because that’s what we do. We’re teammates.”

A similar situation played out at regionals on Stanford’s home course. There was a backup on the 18th tee in the final round and Ye and Heck were tied.

Walker watched Heck, a freshman who wants to serve in the Air Force Reserve after she graduates, give Ye a fist bump and say ‘Let’s go birdie this one.’ ”

“We were tied at regionals and I ended up coming out on top,” said Heck. (Angelina) gave me a huge hug and was super pumped for me. If she goes and fires another 7 under I’ll be stoked for her.”

Because Stanford didn’t get to compete in the fall due to COVID-19 and, for a while even the spring looked iffy, Heck says there’s a deep level of gratitude on the team. She’s better at staying patient in the moment now too. Heck credits ROTC with helping give her a greater perspective.

Walker said she’s most impressed with Heck’s demeanor on the course this week, her composure. She walked off the par-5 18th with a smile on Sunday despite a watery bogey.

“Getting mad isn’t going to help anything,” Heck said matter-of-factly.

Back on Friday in the first round, Walker approached Ye after her fifth bogey, armed with a pep talk: ‘Here’s the deal, you’re going to make five birdies in the next 72 holes.

Ye’s response: “I know.”

No pep talk necessary. Ye knew this was coming.

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Making up for lost time: Stanford teammates talk detours and silver linings ahead of NCAA postseason

With the NCAA postseason approaching, Cardinal players thrilled to be back on campus after a year of COVID-19 craziness.

PALO ALTO, California – On the last day of her senior year, Rachel Heck sat outside the gates of St. Agnes Academy in Memphis, Tennessee, with friends – spaced out, of course – and shed some tears. Heck had been in school with more than a dozen of her 99 classmates since age 3. They’d parted ways for Spring Break on a Friday, thinking nothing of it, and never returned.

“The last day you run down the hallway and slam all the lockers,” said Heck. “There were so many traditions that we just didn’t get to do.”

As if that weren’t bad enough, the fall semester of college golf at Stanford was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While other conferences forged on, the Pac 12 did not compete. A lost Heck found herself sending out S.O.S. messages in the Zoom chat of CS106A, an intro to computer science class. One morning she got up at 8 a.m. to work on an assignment in her Memphis bedroom and by 3 p.m. had gotten nowhere.

“I had nothing on my screen and just started bawling,” said Heck. “I’m supposed to be on campus. I’m supposed to have resources.”

Mercifully, fellow Cardinal students came to her aid. She eventually found a local tutor.

Heck can laugh about it now. Sitting outdoors at a long table at Osteria Toscana in Palo Alto, many things have started to feel familiar again. Osteria is a frequent haunt for the Cardinal, a nice place to bring recruits on campus visits. Four Stanford teammates have gathered here on a pleasant spring evening to talk about recent detours and silver linings. Any mention of hardship is usually laced with humor.

There’s great perspective here.

Left to right: Angelina Ye, Aline Krauter, Rachel Heck and Ziwi Yang

Now three months into life as a college student-athlete, Heck, one of the hottest players in college golf, is still getting to know her teammates. The entire team lives in the same dorm on the same hall due to COVID-19 protocols. Running into each other throughout the day at the bathroom sink or dining hall has helped make up for the time spent apart.

After months of nothing, it’s now pedal-to-the-floor action at Stanford Golf Course. Two weeks after hosting the Pac 12 Championships (won by USC and Heck), the 17th-ranked Cardinal play host to NCAA regional action May 10-12, with 17 teams trying to advance to the NCAA Championship. The top six teams will move on to Greyhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, beginning May 21.

Other regional sites include Baton Rouge (LSU); Columbus, Ohio (OSU); and Simpsonville, Kentucky (Louisville).

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With last year’s season canceled in March – wiping out conference and NCAA tournament action – junior Aline Krauter is the only member of the Cardinal lineup who has any postseason experience.

Krauter left campus last spring pretty quickly because her parents worried that she wouldn’t be able to get back into Germany. The planes and airports were eerily quiet. She admittedly was thrown off from the start, having not lived at home with mom and dad for an extended period since she left for boarding school in Florida at age 15.

Krauter’s family got acquainted with their backyard garden during quarantine, a welcome addition to their daily routine. When golf courses were closed, the German national team was able to practice at St. Leon-Rot, site of the 2015 Solheim Cup. She took advantage when she could.

Even though much in her life was canceled over the past year, good things happened too: Krauter met a new boyfriend after things started to open back up. She won the Women’s British Amateur at West Lancashire. The victory earned her a spot in the ANA Inspiration, where the international relations major realized her game was indeed big enough for the next level.

“I wasn’t sure coming in if I was going to hit the ball high enough to land it soft enough on the greens,” said Krauter. “I didn’t know if I hit it far enough. That doubt went away during the practice rounds and tournament.”

Sophomore Angelina Ye first came to visit Stanford at age 9. She was living in Shanghai at the time and playing in a nearby tournament. In the first grade, Ye wrote in an essay that she wanted to be No. 1 in the world so that she could buy her own plane to avoid having to purchase plane tickets.

“I was 7,” she said, laughing. “Cut me some slack.”

Ye played in her first China LPGA event at age 12 and finished third. At 13, she played in in the Blue Bay LPGA event on Hainan Island. Not once has she imagined herself sitting behind a desk. Even so, her parents instilled in Ye the importance of an education. The decision to go to Stanford, she said, shocked a lot of people in golf back home in China.

“I think I’m the only one who’s playing at this level and at my age who has not turned pro yet,” said Ye. Most elite junior players stop attending school on a regular basis before high school. They were technically enrolled, she said, but mostly just took the final exams.

“When I got my acceptance letter it was a big deal back home,” said Ye. “I’m really happy that they see this as an option now.”

Ye, who enrolled in the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, during high school, returned there when the pandemic hit to stay with her mother and brother. Her instructors, Sean Foley and Mark Sweeney, were nearby, and courses only closed in the area for about a week.

Ye’s family has since moved about 25 minutes away from the Palo Alto campus. When the fall season was canceled, she could still go up to Stanford to practice.

Angelina Ye during a match between San Jose State, CAL and Stanford University at Stanford Golf Course on February 27, 2021 in Stanford, California.

Ziwi Yang, known as “Emily,” was the only member of Stanford’s team who stayed on campus all of last year.

The Beijing native was inspired to go to Stanford by the likes of Tiger Woods, Reese Witherspoon and Hannah Montana. An essay she wrote for Golf Digest China about her freshman year helped solidify Ye’s decision to follow in her footsteps.

Yang won’t be in the lineup at regionals. She has no plans to play professionally either, though she did consider it at one time. When the pandemic canceled Yang’s summer internship with the United Nations in Geneva, she got a position doing COVID-19 research at the Hoover Institution.

With the golf course, dining and workout facilities closed early on, Yang, who only had a couple of friends still on campus, took up running. Nothing made the ambitious Yang sweat more, though, than getting called on during a Zoom class for international law.

“I voluntarily took this class,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t know why.”

Last November, Yang was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship and will study 19th century history at the University of Oxford in England starting in the fall. She chose this particular subject area largely because the research will take her to Vienna, Paris, Istanbul, Germany and possibly St. Petersburg.

Talk of future travel and the fast-approaching NCAA postseason over hearty Italian food helped soothe disappointments from the past year. There’s much to look forward to at Stanford and beyond.

And stories that last a lifetime.

Incoming Stanford freshman Rachel Heck carves out post-hurricane U.S. Women’s Amateur lead

Incoming Stanford freshman Rachel Heck rode the second-round morning wave to top of U.S. Women’s Amateur leaderboard on Wednesday.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Storms brought on by Hurricane Isaias washed out Tuesday’s scheduled second round of the 120th U.S. Women’s Amateur at Woodmont Country Club just outside the nation’s capital.

More than two and a half inches of rain later, play is heating up early on Wednesday as the 132-player field competes to make the 64-player match play cut.

Stanford rising-freshman Rachel Heck is tied for the lead after the morning wave, making five birdies and four bogeys en route to an up-and-down 1 under 71. The Memphis native walked off the course tied for the lead at 4 under with Wake Forest’s Rachel Kuehn, who had yet to start her second round.

U.S. Women’s Amateur: Leaderboard | Tee times | Photos

“Even after the rain, I was surprised how well it was playing,” Heck said of how the course was able to hold up through the storm. “Yeah, it’s pretty tight, so we were focusing on hitting fairways, hitting greens, not trying to do anything crazy, and that’s kind of been my game plan and it’s worked out well so far.”

After an opening-round 3-under 69 on Monday, the day off was good for Heck, the 2017 Rolex Junior Player of the Year.

“Well, I slept in super late. I ate some food. I took another nap. I ate some more food. That’s about how that went. It was nice. It was pretty nice,” she said with a laugh.

Pretty nice indeed.

While the pandemic derailed Heck’s AJGA tournament plans, if you ask her mother, she’ll tell you the break was great for Heck’s game.

“So I just started playing with this group on my course every single day and they are all very good players, so I’m playing a competitive round every single day,” she said of the rounds at Spring Creek Ranch outside of Memphis. “So when I started tournaments again, when I played the North & South, I just didn’t know how my game would be. I had not played tournaments, but I came out and played solid and confident and I was playing well and I realized that I should have been doing that the whole time.”

While scores are slightly lower midway through the second round, the weather hasn’t taken any bite out of Woodmont. Monday’s average score was 75.273. As of 1:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, the second-round average was 75.323.

“This course is huge, especially for me,” said USC senior Alyaa Abdulghany with a laugh. “Fairways were a little damp, but this course drains really well. I was quite surprised at how my ball was still rolling after hitting driver.”

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