ANNIKA Award: Preseason watch list for 2021-22 season

The spunky player from South Carolina played her way into the U.S. Women’s Open to start the summer and then fought her way through the U.S. Women’s Amateur bracket – which included head-to-head wins over two other players on this list, Vivian Hou and Rachel Heck – to win the most coveted title in women’s amateur golf. Castle did it all with a stress fracture in her rib that might have kept her sidelined the whole summer. Gritty.

Jensen Castle tees off on the 29th hole during the final match at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y. on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. (Darren Carroll/USGA)

The reigning R&A Girls Amateur champion could make a big impact for the Gamecocks in her freshman season. She brings a top-25 world ranking to Columbia, South Carolina, built on strong play in her native Scotland (third at both the Scottish Women’s Am and R&A Women’s Amateur Championship) and a turn on the GB&I Curtis Cup squad.

Great Britain and Ireland Team members Annabel Fuller and Hannah Darling chat on the second hole green during the Four-Ball match against the USA Team at the 2021 Curtis Cup at Conwy Golf Club in North Wales, United Kingdom on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021. (Oisin Keniry/USGA)

Fredgaard scored her first win in her sophomore season with the Cougars and landed in the top 10 in the final Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings. She contended for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April too, ultimately finishing third. Fredgaard, an exceptionally strong player from Denmark, could be the most complete player Houston has ever had.

Karen Fredgaard, a Houston sophomore, won the individual title at the UCF Challenge on Feb. 2. (Houston Athletics)

Quiet and sometimes overlooked, Fuller’s game travels across oceans – and, in the case of college golf, across country – quite well. After winning the Gators’ home event last spring, the highlight of her amateur summer was a top 5 at the R&A’s Women’s Amateur followed by a made cut in the AIG Women’s British Open and a Curtis Cup spot.

Annabell Fuller putts on the first hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)

Easily the most anticipated returner for this 2021-22 season. Heck won, well, everything to end the spring. How will the bubbly Tennessean follow up her freshman postseason sweep? It’s one of the most intriguing storylines awaiting this fall.

Stanford golfer Rachel Heck tees off on the 11th hole during the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

The Women’s Southern Amateur title and a runner-up finish at the Women’s Western Amateur over the summer amounted to nine head-to-head wins for the Australian. She was T15 in her first NCAA Championship appearance and went 2-1 in match play to help the Cowgirls to a runner-up team finish. She’ll no longer be a bit player in Stillwater as a sophomore.

Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (Oklahoma State photo)

Despite a torn labrum in her left hip, Hou battled to a runner-up finish at the U.S. Women’s Amateur, displaying an impressive toughness. Prior to that, she had been quiet over the summer after coming off a top-10 at the Pac-12 Championship and top-25 at the NCAA Stanford Regional.

Vivian Hou reads the 15th green during the quarterfinals at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y. on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. (Darren Carroll/USGA)

She was on the bag for little sis at the U.S. Women’s Amateur but last season at Arizona, she led the team in scoring and had three top-10 finishes – the most of any Wildcat. Top-5 finishes at the Pac-12 Championship and NCAA Stanford Regional to end the spring stand out.

Yu-sang Hou of the Arizona Wildcats plays a shot on the eighth hole during day three of the 2018 East Lake Cup at East Lake Golf Club on October 31, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The native Louisianan really hit her stride in the spring season, finishing in the top 5 individually at the SEC Championship and NCAA Championship. Overall in her junior season, she had eight top-10 finishes in 10 starts. That’s some consistency.

Ole Miss golfer Julia Johnson tees off on the third hole during the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship Final at Grayhawk Golf Club. (Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

The Duke senior clearly has an eye toward the future after entering LPGA Q-School (she’s sitting pretty after medaling at the first stage) but she’ll still be a factor in college golf. Kim had a major breakthrough at Pinehurst this summer for the North & South Women’s Amateur title, and a perfect 4-0 record in the Arnold Palmer Cup shows how she stacks up against college competition. She was the ACC medalist as a junior and top 5 at the NCAA Championship.

Gina Kim walks across the fourth green during the second round of the U.S. Women’s Open Championship at the Country Club of Charleston on May 31, 2019 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Kou brings in one of the best junior-golf resumes from the Class of 2021 as she starts her freshman season with the Trojans. Has spent time as Golfweek’s top-ranked junior and graduates from the AJGA with 11 victories to her name.

Xin “Cindy” Kou hits a bunker shot on the 14th hole during the first round of stroke play at the 2021 U.S. Girls’ Junior at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, Md. on Monday, July 12, 2021. (Photo: Kathryn Riley/USGA)

Led a stacked Wake Forest team with a 72.27 scoring average in her sophomore season. A highlight was her third-place finish at the ACC Championship. After working through some swing issues in the summer, Kuehn was runner-up at the Sea Island Women’s Amateur and medalist at the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Rachel Kuehn watching her tee shot at the 11th hole during the first round of stroke play at the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md. on Monday, Aug. 3, 2020. (Photos: USGA/Chris Keane)

As a top-5 player in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings at the end of last season, Lindblad was eligible for a pass into the second stage of LPGA Q-School, but she didn’t go. In the past two seasons, she’s been a rock on the LSU roster, and is an exceptionally hard worker. That showed in her sophomore season as she won twice and finished in the top 3 four other times.

LSU’s Ingrid Lindblad (Photo by: Andrew Wevers)

Schofill won the Liz Murphey Fall Collegiate in the fall of 2020 and was a strong role player for Auburn throughout the spring. Her summer included a run to the semifinals of the North & South Women’s Amateur.

Megan Schofill, Auburn

In her sophomore season, the Austrian player won an NCAA regional title and had five other top-5 finishes, including a runner-up at the NCAA Women’s Championship. Less than a month after the postseason, she won the Austrian Stroke Play Championship.

Emma Spitz tees off on the tenth hole during the first round of stroke play at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y. on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021. (Darren Carroll/USGA)

Stone’s sophomore story with the Tigers was one of major growth. She fed off of teammate Lindblad and played her way to a final Golfweek/Sagarin ranking of 26. Stone was fourth individually at the SEC Championship and went 2-0-2 for the week at the Arnold Palmer Cup.

Latanna Stone, LSU (Photo: Andrew Wevers)

Wallin finished the season ranked No. 4 by Golfweek individually, and most recently was fourth at the European Ladies’ Amateur. Her spring season with the Seminoles included two tournament titles, a runner-up at the ACC Championship and top-10 finishes in the NCAA postseason.

Florida State golfer Beatrice Wallin putts on the 18th green during the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club. (Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

Brings considerable momentum into the season after making the cut at the AIG Women’s British Open then representing GB&I in the Curtis Cup. She had two runner-up finishes in the 2020-21 college season and won two offseason amateur titles.

Lauren Walsh of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons follows through on her tee shot during second round action at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invite at the UNC Finley Golf Course on October 12, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Brian Westerholt/Sports On Film)

It was a quiet summer for the Stanford junior but her sophomore season certainly ended on a high note as she finished third at the NCAA Championship, second at the NCAA Stanford Regional and seventh at the Pac-12 Championship.

Angelina Ye won in her second time out with the Cardinal. (Photo courtesy Stanford Athletics)

Finally, Zhang makes her college debut. The top-ranked amateur in the world could make a big impact in the college game, having won at every other level. Her summer included a U.S. Girls’ Junior title after winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2020.

Rose Zhang poses with the trophy after winning the 2021 U.S. Girls’ Junior at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, Md. on Saturday, July 17, 2021. (Kathryn Riley/USGA)