One of the newest moms to the Epson and LPGA Tours, Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec City, Quebec) is set to compete in her first tournament since welcoming daughter Livia into the world last July.
“If you look in [women’s] golf, there are so many moms who have done it,” said Tanguay. “Julie Inkster played with three kids and you see Serena [Williams] made a comeback. It’s good to see them because it inspires us to know that you can do it and you can learn from them too.”
Tanguay joins a large contingent of #LPGAMoms which includes such LPGA professionals as Stacy Lewis, Brittany Lincicome and Michelle Wie West. This week, Tanguay is joined by her fellow #Road2LPGAMom Rachel Rohanna in Maricopa County. During the weeks leading up to the inaugural Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic, Tanguay was not only practicing but looking to fellow moms for tips on balancing a newborn with travel and competition.
“It’s a community out here. Everyone has been really helpful and it’s just a cycle of moms giving each other the travel tips. I needed that,” Tanguay said. “There are so many things you don’t know when you are trying to juggle the schedule. It’s great that it [the group of moms] is growing too. There are so many new moms on Tour, and I think that will continue. The more moms there are, the more comfortable people will be starting a family and a career together.”
Tanguay’s last competitive appearance was on the LPGA Tour in 2019 at the Indy Women in Tech Championship. This week, she is one of seven competitors in Mesa, Ariz., representing her native country of Canada to kick off the 41st Epson Tour Season.
“I’m really happy to be back on [golf course] grass and see my friends, too. The atmosphere is very good and I’m just glad to be back.”
AMATEUR ROSE ZHANG EAGER TO COMPETE IN HER FIRST EPSON TOUR EVENT
Longbow Golf Club extended a tournament sponsor exemption to amateur Rose Zhang (Irvine, California) and while the 17-year-old is no stranger to the professional stage, the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic marks her first Epson Tour appearance.
Zhang made the cut in her first LPGA Tour event, the 2018 ANA Inspiration, and ended in a tie for 60th. Since then, she has competed in several LPGA Tour events including two U.S. Women’s Open championships, earning a top showing along the way of tied for 11th at the 2020 ANA Inspiration and secure the tournament’s low-amateur honor.
“I think participating in the LGPA majors really gave me confidence to keep pushing myself,” said Zhang. “To be able to play with those that I watch on TV has really been an honor. I really like Jin Young Ko, her mentality and how she carries herself on the course, no matter how she is playing. It’s really how I aspire to be.”
Beyond her experience at the professional level, Zhang continues to add to her amateur resume. Zhang is currently ranked No. 1 in both the Rolex American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Rankings and the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). In 2020, Zhang won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship by defeating defending champion [and now professional] Gabriela Ruffels (Melbourne, Australia). Last fall, Zhang verbally committed to Stanford University. Quite the list of accomplishments for a teenager.
“This week, I am just going to go out there and try to play my game as always. I am always trying to test my game with the best players and the Epson Tour really gives me the opportunity to do that,” Zhang said. “I am genuinely honored to be here.”
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