Rose Zhang has sights on representing US in Solheim Cup

EVIAN-LES-BAINS – With top accomplishments in rapid succession, the 20-year-old Rose Zhang has her eye on another honour before 2023 is done.

She won on her LPGA debut in June, and has set her sights on representing the United States in September’s Solheim Cup in Spain. The Southern California native and Stanford star already has experience representing her country.

“It would be a dream just because... I’ve played two Junior Solheim Cups, one in Des Moines, Iowa, and one in Gleneagles (Scotland),” Zhang said from Evian-les-Bains, France, ahead of the start of the Evian Championship on Thursday.

“Nothing is better than representing your own country with amazing people, having teammates to celebrate and enjoy playing for the honour of the red, white and blue.”

The top seven players on the US Solheim Cup points list make the American squad, but Zhang is 19th on that list. She is 35th in the Women’s Golf Rankings, but only the top two automatically qualify.

US captain Stacy Lewis does have three selections to fill out the roster and that is likely to be Zhang’s best bet to make the squad.

“I always loved team formats,” Zhang said. “I will say that of course it’s (an honour) that a lot of people have to qualify for this event, and the prestige is absolutely incredible.

“But I don’t really think about the (world) rankings a lot. I feel like if my game is there... I’ll be able to qualify.”

Despite her youth, Zhang has shown the kind of composure needed to perform well in a Solheim Cup. When she won the Americas Open in June, she did so on the second hole of a sudden-death play-off against Jennifer Kupcho.

It was a historic trophy raising, with Zhang becoming the first player to win on her LPGA Tour debut since Beverley Hanson in 1951.

In 2023 Majors, Zhang finished joint-eighth at the Women’s PGA Championship and tied for ninth at the US Women’s Open in July.

Thursday marks Zhang’s third appearance at the Evian Championship. She finished tied for 58th in 2021 and was joint-65th in 2022.

She posted a two-under 69 in the first round for joint-18th, with South Africa’s Paula Reto first on 64 and four players – United States’ Alison Lee, France’s Celine Boutier, Thailand’s Wichanee Meechai and Lydia Ko of New Zealand – tied for second two strokes back.

Over in the men’s game, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the first player selected for the 12-man US Ryder Cup team via points, the PGA of America announced on Wednesday.

Scheffler has been dominant this PGA Tour season, with seven consecutive top-five finishes before tying for 23rd at the British Open on Sunday.

The 27-year-old had not finished worse than joint-12th since the CJ Cup in October (tied for 45th), and over 19 tournaments had captured the Phoenix Open in February and The Players Championship in March.

US captain Zach Johnson said on RyderCup.com: “He’s an amazing talent on the golf course, and someone that I know will do whatever is asked of him at the Ryder Cup with a smile on his face.

“He’s incredibly passionate about the Ryder Cup, and it’s nice to have the world No. 1 in the US team.”

Scheffler is an automatic qualifier via points for the Sept 29-Oct 1 Ryder Cup. A Ryder Cup rookie in 2021, Scheffler went 2-0-1 in his first experience in the US team at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. His 2-0-1 overall included a win over then-world No. 1 Jon Rahm in singles (4 and 3) as the Americans beat the Europeans 19-9.

“The experience I had at the Ryder Cup two years ago in Wisconsin is something I will never forget and something I can’t wait to replicate in September,” Scheffler said.

“Zach’s an amazing leader and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to help him and our team bring the Ryder Cup back home to the United States.” REUTERS