Zhong wins historic US Senior crown

PORTLAND, Oregon — Xiaolong “Sherry” Zhong made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th hole and matched pars on the final hole at Portland Golf Club to defeat Amandine Vincent of France and become the first player from China to win the US Senior Women’s Amateur. Zhong, who turned 50 in March and was low amateur at the US Senior Women’s Open, was the medalist in qualifying, won her final three matches on the 18th hole. Zhong built a 3-up lead through 10 holes until Vincent rallied by winning the par-5 15th with a bogey and the par-4 16th with a birdie. Zhong went with 8-iron on the 17th and it paid off with her birdie to take the final lead of the match. Zhong is the sixth player from China to win a USGA championship, and the first since Aaron Du and Sampson Zheng won the US Amateur Four-ball in 2023. Meanwhile, Andrew Bailey took the lead for good with a birdie on the 23rd hole and played his final 17 holes without a bogey to defeat Nate Smith, 5 and 4, in the US Mid-Amateur on Thursday and earn a spot in the Masters and US Open next year. Bailey was at the US Open this summer at Shinnecock Hills, but as a national sales manager for Holderness & Bourne attire. Smith led for most…