Mizuho Americas Open: Rose Zhang wins LPGA Tour event nine days after turning professional

1 year ago 36

Rose Zhang celebrates aft winning the Mizuho Americas Open

-9 R Zhang (US), Kupcho (US) -8 H Ryu (Kor) -7 A Ashok (Ind), A Furue (Jpn), E Ji (Kor) -6 Y Saso (Phl), A Buhai (RSA), L Maguire (Ire) -5 D Kang (US), S Kyriacou (Aus), A Thitikul (Tha)
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Rose Zhang has won the Mizuho Americas Open connected her LPGA Tour debut conscionable 9 days aft turning professional.

American Zhang, 20, bushed Jennifer Kupcho, 26, successful a 2nd spread play-off astatine the 18th, becoming the archetypal pistillate to triumph connected her archetypal LPGA quality since Beverly Hanson successful 1951.

The brace went to a play-off aft finishing nine-under-par astatine the Liberty National Golf Club successful New Jersey.

"What is happening? I conscionable can't judge it," said Zhang.

"To crook pro and travel retired present [and win], it's conscionable been amazing. I've enjoyed the journey.

"I truly got a spot of everything, got a sensation of the pressure, got a sensation of the upwind and I tried to enactment composed arsenic always. I knew that play was conscionable a grind and you truly had to excavation deep."

Zhang had the accidental to triumph connected the 18th spread but changeable a bogey, finishing connected a two-over 74 to articulation compatriot Kupcho, who carded a nine-under 69, successful the clubhouse,

But she past secured triumph wrong 4 shots connected the 2nd spread of the play-off aft Kupcho squandered her putt.

Zhang spent a grounds 141 weeks astatine the apical of the women's amateur rankings, surpassing the erstwhile champion of 135 acceptable by Ireland's Leona Maguire.

She besides won the Augusta National Women's Amateur successful April and her 2nd consecutive NCAA idiosyncratic rubric successful May.

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