An amateur nearly won on the Symetra Tour on Sunday. Ruixin Liu, however, wasn’t going to let that happen.
It took two extra holes at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona, for the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic to reach a conclusion, but when Liu made a birdie on her third trip down No. 18 for the day, she effectively wrapped up her fifth career Symetra Tour title and forced Zhang to wait a little longer for her first win on the pro circuit.
Zhang, the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world and the reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, finished 11th at the ANA Inspiration last fall, an LPGA major. She has also won three American Junior Golf Association invitationals in the past six months.
Zhang, a 17-year-old who will start her college golf career at Stanford next fall, played in the next-to-last group on Sunday alongside another amateur, Arizona State super senior Olivia Mehaffey. Zhang trailed 54-hole leader Liu by three shots while Mehaffey was two shots back.
Rose Zhang takes a one stroke lead after sinking birdie on No. 17 at the #CarlisleGolfClassic
She is -6 today and -17 thru 17. pic.twitter.com/ayvr6R2hRw
— Symetra Tour (@ROAD2LPGA) March 21, 2021
Mehaffey started her day with a birdie, but immediately gave it back with a bogey on No. 2. It was a rollercoaster from there, and a 1-over 73 left her at 11 under, six shots out of the playoff.
Zhang meanwhile, bogeyed her first hole, but then made seven birdies on the day for a 6-under 66. That was three shots better than Liu’s 69, which allowed Zhang to catch Liu at 17 under.
The two headed back to the par-5 18th, where both parred. Zhang’s tournament was derailed when she took an unplayable on the left side of the fairway as Liu made birdie.
Liu was the 2018 Symetra Tour Player of the Year, and last won on the developmental tour at the 2020 Firekeepers Casino Hotel Championship.