JERSEY CITY – Rose Zhang defeated Jennifer Kupcho on the play-off second hole to punctuate a historic week, winning on her LPGA debut at the inaugural Americas Open on Sunday.
The Americans were tied atop the leaderboard at nine-under 279 and twice replayed the par-four 18th hole at Liberty National Golf Course in Jersey City, New Jersey. Zhang’s par the second time was enough to beat Kupcho.
With the win, Zhang will receive full membership on the LPGA Tour, capping her meteoric rise from the amateur ranks to the professional circuit.
The 20-year-old from Stanford won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April and her second straight National Collegiate Athletic Association individual title in May. She held the No. 1 spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for a record 142 consecutive weeks.
Zhang turned pro on May 26, received a sponsor’s invite into the Americas Open and became the first player since Beverly Hanson in 1951 to win on her LPGA debut.
“What is happening? I just can’t believe it. To turn pro and come out here (and win) it’s just been amazing. I’ve enjoyed the journey,” she said on the live broadcast.
Tiger Woods, who also played golf at Stanford, hailed Zhang’s victory on Twitter. “Incredible few weeks for Rose Zhang, defends her NCAA title and then wins in her Pro debut,” he wrote.
Zhang entered Sunday with a two-shot lead and shot a two-over 74 with two bogeys and no birdies on a day where there were few low scores anywhere at Liberty National, which was hosting an LPGA event for the first time.
Kupcho, 26, got in the clubhouse at nine under with a 69, but Zhang, after a bogey at No. 4, held on to the lead at 10 under with 13 straight pars. At the par-four 17th, she blew her uphill birdie putt 10 feet past the hole before calmly saving par.
But at the par-four 18th, her drive trickled off the fairway into a bunker. She punched it out towards the green and set up a par look, but the putt leaked right of the cup at the last second.
On the first play-off hole, both players missed the fairway and scrambled for par. Zhang’s approach on the second play-off hole landed in a makeable birdie range.
Faced with a long uphill putt, Kupcho thumped her birdie try past the hole and off the green. She missed the par attempt, and Zhang two-putted for the victory.
“This golf course is rough,” Zhang said. “I got a bit of everything, a taste of the pressure, of the wind. I tried to stay composed as always. I knew that golf was just a grind. You really had to dig deep.
“Once again, that’s what I did. I’m glad I’m here.”
Kupcho dunked a hole-out eagle at the par-four seventh to go with three birdies and two bogeys. At the end of the play-off, she congratulated Zhang after playfully squirting her water bottle at her.
South Korean Ryu Hae-ran (70) was third on 280. Japan’s Ayaka Furue (69), Ji Eun-hee (71) of South Korea and Aditi Ashok (74) of India tied for fourth on 281. REUTERS
