What a debut it was for first-time U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur competitor and NCGA member Xiaolong “Sherry” Zhong.
Making her first appearance in the 64th edition of the championship at Portland Golf Club, in Portland, Zhong not only earned medalist honors following the 36-hole stroke-play portion of the championship but also defeated Frenchwoman Amandine Vincent four days later to win the title in her first attempt.
Zhong, who sewed up 2025-26 NCGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year honors with the victory, displayed dominance every step of the way, shooting the lowest round of the event with a 5-under 67 during stroke play qulaiying and defeating two past champions on her way to a first USGA title.
"I feel like it's not real. It's like a dream," said Zhong after her win. "It means a lot. I never thought I'd be a USGA Champion because I grew up in China. But my friends, they encouraged me to play more...Yesterday they sent a message to me and said, 'You have a chance. You have to try."
Playing in just her second USGA senior championship after turning 50 in March, Zhong advanced to the quarterfinals with dominant wins over Alejandra Partearroyo-Hillman (3 and 2), Kelly Wilson (6 and 5) and Gemma Dooley (3 and 2).
During Wednesday’s doubleheader, the 2026 U.S. Women’s Senior Open low amateur won back-to-back matches against two previous champions, defeating Nadene Gole, 1 up, in the quarterfinals and Lara Tennant, 1 up, in the semifinals.
With her confidence riding high, it all came down to Thursday morning’s championship match against another one of the week's top performers, No. 2 seed Vincent.
Playing the course for an eighth time in six days, Vincent struck first with a birdie-par start to take a 2-up lead through two holes. The explosive opening would be short-lived, however, as Zhong won four consecutive holes from Nos. 4-7, carding two birdies during the stretch to turn a 2-hole deficit into a 2-up advantage.
The medalist’s lead then grew to three with another win on the 476-yard par-5 10th.
Three up through 10 holes, everything appeared to be going Zhong’s way before her opponent dug deep for one last push.
Vincent won No. 11 with a par before pulling off another unlikely victory on No. 15. After hitting her tee shot into the trees and punching out from a difficult lie, the Frenchwoman won when Zhong four-putted, cutting the lead to one. A birdie on No. 16 then squared the once-one-sided match with only two holes left to play.
On No. 17, Zhong recaptured some of her front-nine magic, sticking her tee shot to 15 feet on the 124-yard par 3 before sinking the birdie putt to win the hole. Matching pars on No. 18 then sealed the match, as the Northern Californian became the first No. 1 seed to win the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur since Tennant in 2021.
“For me, the hardest hole was No. 15. Amandine’s driver hit a tree, and I thought for sure she’d make a bogey. I just wanted to make a par, but my third shot, I aimed at the center of the green instead of at the pin and made a four-putt. Then on No. 17, at first, I chose my 9-iron because that’s what I had been hitting all week. But because of the wind, I decided to hit my 8-iron, gave myself a birdie chance and I made it.”
“That was probably my smartest choice of the day,” she added with a laugh.
With the victory, Zhong, who grew up in the People’s Republic of China, becomes the eighth international champion in U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur history. She is also the first champion from the People’s Republic of China and the first from an Asian country.
Earlier this year, Zhong won both the NCGA Senior Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship and Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.