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It sounds crazy, but “is she the best and most hyped golfer since Tiger Woods?” is not actually a ridiculous question when it comes to Rose Zhang. Now, there are some receipts to prove it. Zhang enters as an 8-1 favorite to win the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach this weekend, according to Caesar’s Sportsbook.
This despite Zhang only having played two professional events.
The second-shortest odds belong to Jin Young Ko, who has 15 LPGA wins and two major championships under her belt.
To be fair to oddsmakers across the world, Rose won one of those professional events, the Mizuho Americas Open, and nearly won the other finishing T8 at the Women’s PGA Championship a few weeks ago. So, while it’s true that this is just her third professional start, it’s equally accurate to note that only seven golfers have ever beaten her in pro tournaments.
Beyond that, Rose is also the women’s course record holder at Pebble Beach after shooting a 9-under 63 in the second round of the 2022 Carmel Cup during her sophomore year at Stanford. That was the year she won eight of the 10 events she played (including that Carmel Cup), not to be confused with her freshman year when she only won four of the 10 events she played.
Add it all up, and the collegiate numbers are mind-boggling.
- Starts: 20
- Wins: 12
- Top 10s: 19
- Top 20s: 20
- Rounds at par or better: 54 of 62 (87.1%)
- Rounds in the 60s: 33 of 62 (53.2%)
- Best finish: 1st (12x)
- Two-time NCAA individual champion
- Two-time ANNIKA award winner
Zhang did everything you could possibly do in her two years in Palo Alto, California. And if you want the full comparison, she actually won one more tournament than Tiger Woods did at Stanford despite making six fewer starts.
Now, she’s set to compete in the highest-profile tournament she’s ever played — as the favorite of the most prestigious women’s event in the world at one of the most famous golf courses on the planet…
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Source : cbssports
