Rose Zhang became the first golfer in more than 70 years to win a Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour title in her first start as a professional, following her playoff victory over fellow American Jennifer Kupcho in the Mizuho Americas Open on Sunday.
In the first three rounds, Zhang carded scores of 70, 69 and 66 at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey to take a two-shot lead over compatriot Cheyenne Knight, Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul and India’s Aditi Ashok into the final day. As the other players faded, it was Kupcho who came to the fore when she made up a five-shot deficit with a closing 69, forcing extra holes as Zhang’s nervy 74 saw both golfers finish regulation play tied on nine-under-par 279.
At the par-four 18th, Zhang had an eight-footer for par and the outright win but her attempt slid by. In the playoff, also on the 18th, both Zhang and Kupcho had to scramble to save par on the first extra hole after finding trouble off the tee. Zhang claimed the title with a two-putt par from six feet on the second extra hole when Kupcho three-putted from distance.
An ecstatic Zhang found it hard to believe that she had won a professional event just two weeks after becoming the first woman to win consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 individual titles.
“I just can’t believe it. It was just last week when I won the NCAA with my teammates, and to turn pro and come out here, it’s just been amazing,” said the 20-year-old.
The last golfer who won on the LPGA Tour in her professional debut was Beverly Hanson at the 1951 Eastern Open. It was fitting that it was Zhang who finally matched the feat, having reigned for a record 141 weeks as the world’s top-ranked lady amateur before turning professional late last month.
Zang noted that she didn’t even expect to make the cut. “The reason why I say this is because I don’t think about my expectations a lot. I think about playing the golf course. I think about trying to shoot the best score that I can.
“Obviously I have frustrations, disappointments with my game, but I never once think about where I finish, where I should finish, etc. I was just playing my game. I was having a good time out there. This is the game that I love, and I’m so thankful to be a professional doing it now,” shared Zhang.
Zhang had amassed one of the most successful collegiate golf careers in history, claiming 12 wins in just 20 starts for Stanford University. Earlier this year, she won the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur, also in a playoff.
The young Californian had made 13 previous starts on the LPGA Tour as an amateur, with her previous best finish being T11 at The Chevron Championship three years ago.
Korea’s Hae Ran Ryu finished in sole third place on eight-under-par, one shot ahead of compatriot Eun-Hee Ji, Japan’s Ayaka Furue and Ashok. Malaysia’s Kelly Tan missed the halfway cut by three shots after rounds of 76 and 73, and has now failed to make the weekend in seven starts so far this season.
Having played in the Mizuho Americas Open on a sponsor’s invitation, Zhang accepted immediate LPGA Tour membership following her win. She earned US$412,500 and picked up 500 points for the tour’s season-long Race to the CME Globe rankings. Zhang is the fourth Rolex First-Time Winner of the 2023 LPGA Tour season alongside Lilia Vu (Honda LPGA Thailand, The Chevron Championship), Ruoning Yin (DIO Implant LA Open) and Grace Kim (LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei).
Amidst buzz that she could be the Tiger Woods of women’s golf, Zhang noted, “Going forward, I understand that there’s going to be a lot of bumps in the road, and I’m expecting a lot of obstacles that I’ll have to uptake and uphold.
“But I think this is just the start. This is just a stepping-stone. It’s crazy that this is my first professional win already, but no doubt there are going to be a lot more things happening down the road. I’m just going to be continuing to learn inside the ropes.”
| Results (Top 10 and ties) | ||
| 279 (-9) | Rose Zhang (USA) | 70-69-66-74 |
| Jennifer Kupcho (USA) | 71-70-69-69 | |
| 280 (-8) | Hae Ran Ryu (KOR) | 72-72-66-70 |
| 281 (-7) | Ayaka Furue (JPN) | 69-74-69-69 |
| Eun-Hee Ji (KOR) | 71-69-70-71 | |
| Aditi Ashok (IND) | 67-72-68-74 | |
| 282 (-6) | Ashleigh Buhai (RSA) | 75-71-72-64 |
| Leona Maguire (IRL) | 71-70-74-67 | |
| Yuka Saso (JPN) | 69-74-69-70 | |
| 283 (-5) | Danielle Kang (USA) | 72-71-69-71 |
| Stephanie Kyriacou (AUS) | 72-74-65-72 | |
| Atthaya Thitikul (THA) | 68-71-68-76 | |
