Cal star golfer Katherine Zhu was planning on taking a break from the links over the holidays, an effort to recharge for the upcoming spring season – her final one at Cal.

But when she received an invitation to compete in the Patriot All-America – a unique event in which each golfer plays in honor of a fallen or severely injured member of the United States military – Zhu quickly changed her plans.

"After getting there and getting to interact with the veterans, I felt very honored to be there," Zhu said. "It was just a unique experience – unlike any tournament I had ever played before."

Zhu, who has already qualified for the Symetra Tour after she graduates, finished in a tie for 14th place at 4-under par at the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, Arizona. But that wasn't really the point. The takeaways she left with after the last week of December extend well beyond the golf course.

Zhu played the tournament in honor of Army Master Sergeant Bernard L. Deghand, who was killed in combat in Spira, Afghanistan, in 2006 at the age of 42. Originally from Mayetta, Kansas, Deghand was assigned to the 35th Division Artillery, Kansas Army National Guard.

Each golfer at the Patriot All-America received a custom golf bag emblazoned with the name of the soldier, rank and branch of service. They also received a bio of each soldier to familiarize themselves with the person they were honoring.

"He paid the ultimate price so that we can live in freedom," Zhu said. "It really put a lot of things into perspective. At the end of the day, we are just playing a game. We are just doing something that we enjoy. A big part of why we are allowed to do that is because people put their lives on the line."

Zhu's experience went well beyond the 6,000-yard, par-72 Blue Course at the Wigwam Resort. The golfers spent an evening visiting nearby Luke Air Force Base and also put together care packages for military members currently serving abroad.

The golf bag Zhu used for the tournament will soon be flown back to Berkeley, and the Bears will then auction it off to raise funds for Folds of Honor – a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships for children and spouses of fallen or disabled service members. One of Deghand's children is a recipient of a Folds of Honor higher education scholarship.

 "Katherine had a busy fall but this was a no-brainer for her," Cal head coach Nancy McDaniel said. "She was going to be there and really enjoy all that they had to offer. You could tell she had a deeper and more meaningful experience than just a regular tournament. To be part of it was really special for her, and we as coaches feel really proud of her for taking that opportunity and going with it."