Stanford junior Rachel Heck out indefinitely with shoulder injury

If Stanford is to repeat as NCAA champion, it may have to do so without one of its best players.

Junior Rachel Heck, the 2021 NCAA individual champion and player of the year, missed the Cardinal’s first two events of the spring because of thoracic outlet syndrome, a shoulder condition in the area between the first rib and the collarbone.

Stanford head coach Anne Walker told GolfChannel.com that Heck’s return is “up in the air” as she continues to be evaluated by doctors.

Heck last played for the Cardinal at their fall finale in October, the Pac-12 Preview, where she tied for 22^nd. She was also T-3 at the Stephens Cup earlier that month, and she began the spring on the watch list for the Annika Award, which she won as a freshman.

Heck’s participation in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which begins in late March, is also in some doubt.

The Cardinal, who also are missing senior Brooke Seay because of a concussion, are ranked No. 1 in Golfstat and also boast the top-ranked amateur and college player in sophomore Rose Zhang. They return to action March 6-7 at the Juli Inkster Invitational.

“Fair to say we aren’t the same team we were in the fall,” Walker said, “but still have a lot of fight.”