Irvine’s 17-year-old golf phenom, Rose Zhang, played 38 holes with an injured left wrist last month to win the longest U.S. Women’s Amateur title match in 54 years.

She defeated last year’s winner, Gabriela Ruffels, 20, of Australia.

“It’s a dream come true,” says Zhang, a senior at Irvine’s Pacific Academy who has committed to play at Stanford next year. “To have my name on the trophy with the best players of all time is life-changing for me.”

If you’ve ever played at Oak Creek Golf Club, you may have seen Zhang on the course, where she often practices after school.

She began playing golf at age 9 and hopes to eventually play on the LPGA Tour.

“I’m confident I have a chance,” she says.

Zhang is the only high school student among the top 20 female amateur golfers in the world.