In a move extended anticipated, Rose Zhang, the two-time NCAA women’s golf person champion and longtime planet No. 1 amateur, announced Friday she’s turning expert.
The Stanford sophomore will pro debut in the inaugural Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National Golf Club subsequent week. Zhang, who turned 20 on Wednesday, announced her move on Instagram. She’ll hold a news conference subsequent Tuesday in Jersey City, N.J., according to her agent, Kevin Hopkins, of Excel Sports Management.
Zhang’s pro debut will be a single of the most anticipated in women’s expert golf history. Zhang produced the reduce in the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open as a 16-year-old, won the 2020 U.S. Amateur, and completed tied for 11th at the 2020 ANA Inspiration, an LPGA important. She could’ve turned pro then, but opted to enroll at Stanford. Though most anticipated her to play only a single season of collegiate golf, she rather spent two years with the Cardinal.
These two seasons made a historical run. Zhang won 12 of 20 college tournaments, winning at an unheard-of price. She broke Tiger Woods’ college record for total wins although playing six fewer tournaments. She also matched Lorena Ochoa for the most wins in Pac-12 women’s golf history.
Zhang won each the 2022 and 2023 women’s person national championships and led Stanford to the 2022 group national title. She’s also won the U.S. Women’s Amateur, the U.S. Girls Junior and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
All told, Zhang has ranked No. 1 in the Planet Amateur Golf Ranking considering the fact that September 2020, a record.
How excellent is Zhang?
The accolades are also a lot of to list, but of all them, the most jarring feat from Zhang is probably her college scoring record.
As a freshman, the then-18-year-old set the NCAA single season record of 69.68 in 31 rounds played.
Then, as a sophomore, she broke that record, shaving practically a complete stroke (.98) off her preceding total, and establishing a new mark of 68.70 in 27 rounds.
In total, 50 of Zhang’s 58 rounds as a collegian ended at par or superior. She shot 31 rounds in the 60s. In addition to her 12 wins, she posted six other best 10s.
It is extended been speculated that, although playing as an amateur, Zhang primarily translated to a best-15 or best-20 player in the planet. There’s no precise measure for that, but Zhang is anticipated to compete quickly in the expert ranks.
Her coaches frequently say that it is not a single region of Zhang’s game that sticks out the most — driving, ball-striking, brief game — but rather the complete of her components and her selection-generating.
What’s Zhang’s influence on women’s expert golf?
Possessing previously signed important name, image and likeness offers although in college, Zhang will enter the pro ranks with enormous sponsorships currently in location. She holds seven-figure offers with Callaway, Adidas and other individuals.
Zhang’s amateur profession was often a point of fascination amongst golf fans. She’ll draw focus early and frequently as a expert.
This summer season, she’s anticipated to play in all 5 majors and, if all goes to strategy, use a series of tournament exemptions to safe her LPGA Tour card.
Immediately after the Mizuho Americas, more than the subsequent two months, Zhang will play in the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach (June 22-25), the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol (July six-9), the Dana Open (July 13-16) and the Evian Championship (July 27-30).
(Photo: Christian Petersen /Getty Pictures)