Rose Zhang - Early Predictions

[fixyurdivot]

No real surprise that she barely finished the NCAA Championship last week before making the announcement that she's joining the LPGA.  She will be making her debut this week at the Mizuno Americas Open and has yet to move out of her dorm room at Stanford .  No developmental tours or Q-school for her.  Talk about jumping straight into the frying pan.  So what are your thoughts on how Rose's pro career will play out?  Rookie of the year this or next season?  Get her first win this season and makes Stacy Lewis's decision even harder?  

[Kenny B]

I have watched Rose play ever since she won the 2020 US Women's Amateur over the defending champion Gabby Ruffles.  Gabby has spent the last few years playing on the LPGA, Epson and Cactus tours, but hasn't really done all that well until this year on the Epson Tour.  Not sure if Gabby is playing this week, but it would be interesting if she and Rose were paired together.  

I think Rose will play OK this year, but may not win for awhile.  I think she will be at least as good as Jennifer Kupcho.

[Kenny B]

Rose is two shots off the lead after the second round!!!

[Thin2win]

It's just so hard to predict.  She is very good,  and has been very good.  But this shift to tour is a hard shift.  Skill wise she is a match for anyone,  so it really just comes down to how she handles the travel and deals with her first setback.

Matt Wolff was great right out of college. Winning one of his first starts.  But then had a hiccup and lost most of his game for 2 years.

Rose could come out and go full Lydia Ko or she could go straight to the Epson Tour after year 1. Neither would surprise me,  but i think she comes out closer to Ko's start than Gabby's start.

[fixyurdivot]

Well, moving day didn't seem to rattle her, although she didn't have far to move . Looks like she'll be the leader for tomorrows start. I'm giving here at least a 70% chance of getting the win.  So far Callaway, Delta, Adidas, Sling EyeWear and East West Bank are sending her checks... will there be another mega deal? 

[cnosil]

Seems to be doing pretty well so far.   Stellar amateur career but for me the big question is can she close it out;  I recall she seems to struggle in final rounds.   Augusta Women's am comes to mind - 5 shot lead but had to win in playoff.   Amateur success doesn't always translate to professional success but she seems to be a true talent that will do well. 

[Kenny B]

What a great start to her pro career!  What does it feel like to know that you can come out and beat the pros in your first tournament as a pro?  I hope she doesn't take her foot off the gas tomorrow.

[russtopherb]

Darn impressive so far!!! 

[tony@CIC]

Let's see how she handles the pressure on the final 18. I would have loved to see Knight tie her for co lead last night. 

[fixyurdivot]

I just had a look at the winners take of the $3M purse... $450,000.  Hey, it's a ton of money for 4 days work, and will be a nice first paycheck for someone fresh out of college, but seems paltry compared to the men tours.  I guess I haven't paid attention to the money side of the LPGA but this surprises me.  That's a 4th place paycheck at The Valero and a 13th place finish at The Memorial. As popular as the LPGA has become this past decade, I would have thought the gap would be smaller... but then, the PGA just added quite a bit this past year.

No one has mounted a serious charge today.  Looking like it's Rose to lose at this point.

[russtopherb]

Rose is absolute nails.  

[Thin2win]

Guess she could just win her first event. That doesn't set any expectations... wow that's mega.

[Kenny B]

That’s one way to become a tour member.  Anyone think she’s not a Solheim Cup pick?

[Thin2win]

id like to see her close out an event with more authority.  ANWA and this weekend she definitely backed into with above par closing rounds. But first lpga event,  overnight lead... I'll give her a pass on this one as most first time 54 hole leaders really collapse on Sunday.

[Kenny B]

6 minutes ago, Thin2win said:

id like to see her close out an event with more authority.  ANWA and this weekend she definitely backed into with above par closing rounds. But first lpga event,  overnight lead... I'll give her a pass on this one as most first time 54 hole leaders really collapse on Sunday.

I wonder how much her caddie had her play conservative on the last day knowing it was tough and she had the lead.  

[cnosil]

Watching the Women’s British open and saw something that would simply blow @chisags mind wide open .  She is definitely.definitely a mechanical minded player.  She was just hitting a long putt and systematically counted the number of putter head lengths she needed to swing the putter back to hit the ball far enough.   The putt was 5 heads back; which Morgan said was the most she had seen her do so it seems to be part of her normal routine.  

[chisag]

1 hour ago, cnosil said:

Watching the Women’s British open and saw something that would simply blow @chisags mind wide open .  She is definitely.definitely a mechanical minded player.  She was just hitting a long putt and systematically counted the number of putter head lengths she needed to swing the putter back to hit the ball far enough.   The putt was 5 heads back; which Morgan said was the most she had seen her do so it seems to be part of her normal routine.  

 

... Haha, not at all. As you know I am a big believer in "whatever works". That said, I would switch to playing Bingo before taking a mechanical approach to putting. 

[Pactrank]

Skipping the developmental tours and Q-school is bold.  Debuting at the Mizuno Americas Open straight from her Stanford dorm? Talk about diving in headfirst!  Exciting stuff! Rookie of the year potential? Definitely a possibility. Getting that first win this season would really shake things up. Stacy Lewis might be feeling the heat! Can't wait to see how it all unfolds—here is to Rose's pro journey!

Edited November 19, 2023 by Pactrank