With the LPGA back in the U.S. for the first time since January, a number of the tour’s stars have returned including Rose Zhang. It’s finals week at Stanford, yet Zhang isn’t playing like someone who balanced practice rounds at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship with term papers and exams.
As No. 1 Lilia Vu clawed her way back to play the weekend, another breakout star from 2023, defending champion Ruoning Yin, finds herself in familiar territory.
Here are five things to know from the early action at Palos Verdes Golf Club, where the legendary Seri Pak plays host to the next generation.
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Yin hasn’t had the best start to 2024 but still sounded confident coming into Palos Verdes, where she won her first LPGA title last year. Her second-round 65 included a front-nine 31 (her second nine of the day).
“The front nine the fairway is wide open and I can smoke it whenever I want,” she explained. “Plus, today’s pin position is quite easy for attack. I can be aggressive.”
Yin credited her caddie, veteran David Jones, for repeatedly reminding her to stay patient.
Full marks
Zhang returned to the LPGA after nearly a two-month break and put herself right back in contention. The Stanford student reports that she received full marks on an exam she took on Tuesday.
On the leaderboard at Palos Verdes, she’s one back of defending champion Yin.
“We’re slowly getting there,” said Zhang, who wrapped up the winter quarter earlier this week. “I think being able to come back and really stay in the zone, I think what I really missed about competitive golf is once you’re in the zone, it feels really good to just commit to everything that you have and put your all out there.”
Zhang, who shot a second consecutive 68, won a college event at Palos Verdes in February 2023 and reports that the greens are softer this time around.
“Last year I remember I couldn’t go at any pins just because it was so hard to stop the ball in certain areas,” she said. “This year I think it’s a little bit more playable. You can attack in certain areas.”
Terrific turnarond
Maria Fassi joked that she should get the “most improved gold star” for her 6-under 65. The former NCAA champ opened with a brutal 76 and looked in danger of not playing the weekend.
While Fassi has missed the cut in her two previous LPGA starts this year, she did finish third on the LET in Morocco.
“I would’ve quit golf a long time ago without the amazing people I have around me,” said Fassi. “They really keep me in it. Yeah, I have a lot of very good friends out here as well that just always say the right thing when I need to hear, whether they know it or not.”
Friday slump
Lexi Thompson holed out for eagle, her second of the day, to end Thursday’s round at Palos Verdes. Unfortunately, the momentum didn’t carry over to Friday.
Thompson’s second-round 78 included six bogeys, one double and only one birdie. She hit only 10 fairways and 10 greens on Friday and took 33 putts. This was Thompson’s second LPGA start this season. She has played in two LET events, finishing 11th two weeks ago in Florida.
She finished the Seri Pak event at 7 over.
College connection
This week marks the third time Palos Verdes has hosted an LPGA event. Zhang is one of five past winners of the Therese Hession Regional Challenge in the field this week, joined by World No. 1 Lilia Vu (2018), Andrea Lee (2019), Lindy Duncan (2012) and Carlota Ciganda (2011).
There are 11 alums between UCLA and USC in the field. Rookie Malia Nam, who opened with a 65 on Thursday, said she’s played Palos Verdes over 100 times.
“It’s really nice that we were able to practice here,” said Nam. “We had a tournament here every year. I was able to play that when I was in college, so, yeah, it really helped today just knowing exactly what clubs I’m going to have in and how to prepare for this tournament as well.”
Players representing the Bruins this week include Alison Lee, Ryan O’Toole, Patty Tavatanakit and Vu. Former Trojans include major champions Sophia Popov and Allisen Corpuz, Gabriela Ruffels, Lizette Salas, Jennifer Song, Gabriela Then and Nam.
