AmateurGolf.com's Players of the Month: May 2023

June 3, 2023 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

May was filled with roses as some of the top amateurs in the game turned up the heat over this past month

One of the great amateur careers of all-time came to an end in fine fashion, while a Florida Gator from Brazil ended his collegiate career by winning the NCAA men's individual title before helping his team to the pinnacle of collegiate golf at Grayhawk Golf Club.

While the collegiate and amateur careers of Rose Zhang and Fred Biondi came to a close, Virginia freshman Ben James flashed his brilliance with a pair of strong showings on the national stage.

Two seniors showed no signs of slowing down after turning in incredible months, while the 2015 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion resurfaced to defend her title at the AGA Women’s Amateur Championship.

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AmateurGolf.com's Players of the Month for May, 2023

ROSE ZHANG

The Stanford sophomore closed out her amateur career in style, winning the Pac-12 and NCAA Pullman Regional championships before she successfully defended her NCAA individual title at Grayhawk. Along the way, the world's top-ranked women's amateur picked up her second consecutive ANNIKA Award which recognizes the top female player in collegiate golf. She announced on May 26 that she was turning professional, bringing the curtain down on an amateur career with saw win every major amateur title. Zhang won a school-record 12 career titles in 20 starts at Stanford, besting Tiger Woods (26 events), Patrick Rodgers (35 events) and Maverick McNealy (45 events) who all won 11 times.

FRED BIONDI

It was great to be this Florida Gator in the month of May. The Brazilian tied for medalist honors at a U.S. Open Local Qualifier in Gainesville, finished 11th at the NCAA Bath Regional and went on to capture the NCAA men's individual championship at Grayhawk when he overcame a five-stroke deficit in the final round to edge Jackson Buchanan (Illinois) and Ross Steelman (Georgia Tech) for the title. Two days later, he helped Florida to the national championship, marking the Gators first national crown since 2001.

BEN JAMES

The Virginia freshman won the Las Vegas Regional at 20-under par, finished sixth at his first NCAA Championship and was presented with the Mickelson Award as the top freshman in the country. He helped Virginia reach match play at the NCAA Championships for the first time after the Cavaliers posted their best finish in stroke play (seventh) in program history. James was a finalist for both the Haskins Award and Division I Jack Nicklaus Award which are presented to the nation’s top collegiate golfer. He was ranked No. 7 in the Golfstat standings prior to the NCAA Championships.

JACK HALL

The 65-year-old from Savannah, Ga. shot his age en route to winning the SOS Dale Morey Championship in dominating fashion, posting a seven-stroke victory over a strong field of age 55 and over senior amateurs in the low country. Hall shot 67 (-5) on day one, the first time he set foot on the South Course at Berkeley Hall and followed his opening act by shooting his age for the first time ever, 65 (-7), in round two. He took a seven-stroke lead into the final round and cruised to the winner's circle. He followed up that performance with a strong showing at the John T. Lupton Memorial, where he finished tied for 14th.

JON LINDSTROM

Lindstrom, a resident of Denver, Colo. and a three-time Colorado Golf Association Mid-Amateur champion, won the senior division of the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association's Senior and Mid-Master Championships at Hacienda Golf Club in La Habra Heights, Calif., posting a 4-under total of 209 (65-72-72) which was good for a two-stroke victory over John Adams. It was his second victory of the year after winning the Heron Creek Senior in January. Lindstrom closed out the month with a top-10 finish at the Lupton Memorial, where he tied for sixth in the senior division.

LAUREN GREENLIEF

The former U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur champion successfully defended her title at the AGA Women’s Amateur Championship was played at the Northriver Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa, Ala. by carding a final round 2-under-par 69 to clinch the victory by three shots over first-round leader Kelli Pry. Greenlief then finished second with her partner Alexandra Austin in the Virginia Women's Four-Ball Championship held at Stoney Creek Golf Course in Nellysford, Va.

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