William Chang: Inside the Journey of a Cougar Athlete

By Arnav J. '27

Dubbed the Tiger Woods of our school, or ‘Cougar’ Woods, if you will, William Chang has cemented himself as a dominant golfer. After picking up his first club at the age of four, he has been on a 13-year journey of dedication, discipline, and drive. Now a senior and two-time NCS Division II Champion, Will Chang embodies a true athlete's spirit and has solidified his reputation as one of the nation’s top junior golfers.

“My parents and grandparents got me into golf,” Chang said. “I played a lot of sports at a young age and just thought why not? And it happened to work out.”

His competitive career began in the PGA Junior League, a team-based, two-person scramble format for players 13 and under. In recent years, he has become involved in the most elite competitive groups for golf, including the AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) and the USGA (United States Golf Association [not only junior golfers]). These memberships let him qualify for national tournaments and earn ranking points based on his performance. Chang boasts a placement of 41 out of almost 9000 AJGA golfers, with membership itself indicating high status as a junior golfer.

When asked about his training, Chang described a steady effort and evolution from casual to competitive golf, detailing that as a young player, “[golf] was pretty casual as I played other sports…I would say right around when I got into high school was when I decided to really just focus on golf.” Now, “I have swing lessons once a week, two to three workouts a week, with trainers. The rest is kind of just like doing your own thing and working on your game by yourself,” he explained. Training primarily at Blackhawk Country Club, this training regimen, along with Chang’s discipline to follow it, is the real magic behind the scenes. 

Consequently, this effort has paid off. In addition to helping lead College Prep to a 7-1 regular season record last season, Chang has earned two league MVP titles (hoping to go for his third), along with qualifying for NCS Div 2 and NorCal regionals. Beyond College Prep, Chang reached the final qualifying round for the U.S. Open—one of golf’s four major professional tournaments, known for its public qualifying system. He also won the AJGA tournament at Copper Valley, shooting thirteen under par, and tied for ninth at the PGA Junior Championships—considered a major for junior golfers—among many other accomplishments. When asked about the Junior Championships, Chang described them as “a really cool experience,” recalling moments such as seeing Charlie Woods—Tiger Woods’ son, and tying with a fellow junior golfer, Mason Howell, who won the U.S. Amateur Championship, along with being invited to two professional majors: The Masters and The U.S. Open.

However, Chang’s connection with golf extends beyond just the competitive stage. Going down to the Titleist headquarters in Southern California in order to get a professional club fitting, he details having “built a relationship with the guys down there.” Since then, he’s developed a semi-sponsorship relationship with them, receiving balls, clubs, shoes, hats, and other gear. If you’re curious about getting into golf or interested in buying new gear, Chang says that in his opinion, “Titelist is the best golf equipment out there, definitely helping performance quite a bit.” 

Yet, despite the technical aspects of golf, it is a notoriously mental game. Chang adds that “out there, you're going to hit bad shots…so it’s alright, just keep moving forward.” He aptly puts it, “practice like you care—play like you don’t.” 

His performance, along with this mindset, has played a pivotal role in his recruitment process. After visiting different campuses, seeing the facilities, and meeting the team members and coaches, Chang ultimately found the right fit. “It was a little intimidating at first talking to all these college coaches, but all of them are great guys, especially coach Will Green from Princeton,” he notes. “I’m really excited about where I ended up.” 

Looking towards the future, Will Chang’s talent and leadership continue to set the tone for his own game along with the school team. “This is our year,” he said with a smile. “The year for the Cougars.”