After posting a 3-under 67 in the first round of the Girls Junior PGA Championship on Tuesday, Rose Zhang came out firing in the second round.
The 16-year-old from Irvine, Calif., made eagle on the par-five 14th — her fifth hole Wednesday — at Keney Park Golf Course in Hartford, Conn., part of a 7-under 63 that included six birdies and one bogey, which came on her final hole. Zhang leads the pack at 10-under after 36 holes with a one-stroke lead over Sara Im and Phoebe Brinker.
For Zhang, success at the Junior PGA Championship is nothing new. She won the event in 2017 and finished as runner-up last year. She’s committed to Stanford in the class of 2021 and ranks No. 6 in Golfweek’s girls junior rankings.
RELATED: Rose Zhang’s rapid rise in junior ranks
Zhang’s second-round 63 is a personal best and her 130 through 36 holes is the lowest score in the tournament’s 44-year history.
“I was pretty concentrated on the course today,” Zhang said in a release. “I didn’t feel any nerves and wasn’t looking at other scores, which helped keep me in check. I managed to shoot a pretty good score.”
After striking a 3-wood 219 yards away from the pin on the 14th, Zhang converted the 25-foot eagle putt, the highlight of a standout day.
“I was trying not to three-putt,” Zhang said in a release. “The putt had a really big downhill break. I was just trying to get it past the hole and close enough for a birdie opportunity. It rolled in. It was just that kind of day.”
The Girls Junior PGA Championship continues Thursday and the final round is scheduled for Friday.
