Rose Zhang on Sunday lived up to all the pretournament hype as the next great women’s golfer — at least in her first week as a pro.
The two-time US National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champion became the first player in 72 years to win on the LPGA Tour in a pro debut, capturing the Mizuho Americas Open with a par on the second playoff hole against Jennifer Kupcho.
Zhang arrived on the LPGA Tour with the most fanfare since Michelle Wie West in 2005, and she delivered in the shadow of the Big Apple.
Photo: AFP
“I just can’t believe it,” Zhang said. “It was just last week when I won NCAAs with my teammates, and to turn pro and come out here, it’s just been amazing. I’ve enjoyed the journey.”
The span was actually 13 days.
The previous female player to win as a pro in her debut was Beverly Hanson, who edged Babe Zaharias to take the Eastern Open in 1951.
The performance was so impressive it drew the attention of fellow Stanford University product Tiger Woods.
“Incredible few weeks for Rose Zhang, defends her NCAA title and then wins in her Pro debut. Go card!” Woods wrote on Twitter.
Zhang smiled broadly when told, adding that she has not had a chance to look at her cellphone since the tournament ended.
“My reaction says it all,” said Zhang, who said she did not look at a scoreboard until the 16th hole and did not know her position in the field.
It really never changed. She started in the lead and never lost it.
South Korean rookie Ryu Hae-ran (70) was third at eight-under par. Aditi Ashok of India, Ayaka Furue of Japan and Ji Eun-Hee of South Korea were at seven-under par. Ashkeigh Buhai of South Africa, Leona Maguire of Ireland and Yuka Saso of Japan finished at six-under, three shots behind the leaders.
Zhang turned pro last week after the NCAAs and much was expected right away. She was the top-ranked women’s amateur for 141 weeks and won every big women’s amateur event — the US Women’s Amateur, the US Junior Girls, the NCAAs and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
The victory was worth US$412,500 and it also earned Zhang and an automatic LPGA Tour membership, which she accepted.
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