Rose Zhang lately turned the primary lady to win back-to-back NCAA particular person nationwide titles, efficiently defending her trophy in Arizona; 20-old, who now has extra victories as a Stanford golfer than Tiger Woods, turns professional and awarded particular exemption for AIG Ladies’s Open

15:40, UK, Friday 26 Might 2023

Main novice Rose Zhang has turned skilled and been given a particular exemption for the AIG Ladies’s Open at Walton Heath.

Zhang, who lately turned 20, will compete on the main for the third time when it’s held from August 9-13, having performed as an novice for the earlier two years.

The American missed the lower by one stroke at Carnoustie in 2021 however completed in a tie for twenty eighth place at Muirfield final 12 months to win the Smyth Salver because the main novice.

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Zhang received the Augusta Nationwide Ladies’s Novice this 12 months

Earlier this month, Zhang turned the primary lady to win back-to-back NCAA particular person nationwide titles, efficiently defending her trophy in Arizona as she eclipsed the variety of victories Tiger Woods achieved as a Stanford College golfer.

Her achievements within the novice sport embrace spending 141 weeks on the prime of the rankings, successful the Augusta Nationwide Ladies’s Novice this 12 months and the US Ladies’s Novice in 2020, and serving to America’s Curtis Cup group to victories overs Nice Britain and Eire in 2021 and 2022.

Zhang mentioned of being awarded a spot on the Ladies’s Open: “I’m honoured to have acquired a particular exemption. I wish to thank The R&A for offering me with this unbelievable alternative on the very starting of my skilled profession and I hope to take advantage of it.

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Zhang has extra wins as a Stanford College golfer than Tiger Woods

“I’ve nice recollections of successful the Smyth Salver at Muirfield final 12 months and was proud to see my title alongside so many nice names on that trophy. The AIG Ladies’s Open is a championship I’d like to win in the future and if that had been to be at Walton Heath it will be very particular.”

Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A mentioned: “Rose Zhang is an extremely proficient golfer who has already written her title into the historical past books as an novice golfer.

“It is extremely uncommon that we grant a particular exemption for the AIG Ladies’s Open however we imagine that Rose’s distinctive achievements to this point warrant her inclusion.”