Stanford, CA - Asterisk Talley of Chowchilla, California, leads after the first round of the Fortinet Stanford Invitational hosted by Rose Zhang. The 16-year-old fired a 7-under-par 64, opening a two-shot lead. Ranked No. 1 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, Talley tallied six birdies and an eagle on No. 7.
Talley got off to a hot start, going 5-under through her first seven holes and making the turn at 30. She added three more birdies in the next five holes before a bogey on No. 16 brought her back to 7-under. Talley closed out her round with steady pars on Nos. 17 and 18.
"Rose is such an inspiration to all of us. It's wonderful that she returns to support us at tournaments where she achieved so much as a junior."
Anna Fang of San Diego, California, sits in second place after an impressive 5-under-par 66 in the opening round, featuring six birdies. Ranked No. 19 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, she is seeking her first career Invitational victory.
Kaili Xiao of Chino Hills, California, and Aubrey Hilgers of Surprise, Arizona, are tied for third at 3-under-par 69. Xiao tallied six birdies, while Hilgers delivered a flawless, bogey-free round.
A seven-way tie for fifth place at 1-under-par includes Victoria Cui of Atherton, California, Nikki Oh of Torrance, California, Clara Ding of (China) White Rock, British Columbia, Canada, Sophia Ellestad of Houston, Texas, Jordan Levitt of Bedford, New York, Inseoul Jiamanukoonkit of (Thailand) San Diego, California, and Celina Yeo of San Carlos, California.
The second round of The Fortinet Stanford Invitational hosted by Rose Zhang is slated to begin on Sunday, February 16, at 8:30 a.m. PT.
About Rose Zhang
Zhang, whose AJGA career was filled with remarkable achievements, returns to her collegiate course to share her insights with the next generation of junior golfers. As a junior, she was a two-time Rolex Junior Player of the Year and a 10-time AJGA champion, with an impressive eight Invitational victories. In 2022, she made history as the first Stanford player in 18 years to win the NCAA Individual Championship. Now balancing life as both a professional golfer and a Stanford student, Zhang continues working toward her diploma while excelling on the LPGA Tour. Since turning pro in 2023, she has already secured two LPGA victories and represented Team USA in two Solheim Cups, further cementing her place among golf’s rising stars.
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Fortinet joined the AJGA in 2022 as the Official Diversity & Inclusion/STEM Education Partner.
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