Rose Zhang Makes Huge World Rankings Jump As She Chases Tiger Woods Record

Rose Zhang’s incredible win in the Mizuho Americas Open brought her plenty of advantages, from LPGA Tour membership to eligibility for the Solheim Cup. Her standing in the world rankings received a huge boost too. 

Given Zhang only announced she was turning professional at the end of last month, it’s not surprising that she was as low as 482nd heading into the Liberty National event. Following the 20-year-old’s assured playoff win over Jennifer Kupcho, though, her world ranking is up to a highly respectable 62 – a leap of 420 places.

Considering Zhang’s extraordinary ability and the fact she can take her pick which LPGA Tour events she competes in over the next two years, it seems almost inevitable that this marks just the start of her name being a regularly feature in the upper reaches of the rankings.

One of the first players to hail Zhang following her maiden LPGA Tour win was 15-time Major winner Tiger Woods, who wrote on Twitter: “Incredible few weeks for Rose Zhang, defends her NCAA title and then wins in her Pro debut. Go card!”

It’s only a matter of weeks since Zhang surpassed Woods’ record for number of wins as a Stanford University student, and she is now within striking distance of eclipsing another of his impressive feats.

After turning pro in 1996, it took Woods seven tournaments to reach the world’s top 50, which he achieved after winning the Walt Disney Classic that October. However, Zhang is now in an excellent position to climb into that elite bracket considerably sooner.

If she manages it, it seems highly unlikely it will faze her considering how regularly she sets new standards. Her LPGA Tour win made her the first player to win on the LPGA Tour on her pro debut since 1951. 

However, that was just the latest in a string of impressive achievements. Only last month, she became the first women’s player to win two NCAA individual titles. That followed a long list of comparable accomplishments, including the record for consecutive weeks at the top of the World Amateur Golf Ranking and the only player to win three consecutive Mark H McCormack Medals for top world amateur golfer.