Rose Zhang was all set to compete in her fourth tournament of the season, the 2025 JM Eagle LA Championship. However, 10 days before the start of the tournament, Zhang announced that she would be withdrawing from the event because of a nagging neck injury. This might have disappointed many of her fans, as they were eagerly waiting for her to compete again after her lengthy break due to university commitments. She missed the season’s first major, too. Fast-forward to the present; Zhang is finally about to make her return at the Mizuho Americas Open.
She is one of the few big names who is returning to action in New Jersey alongside Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, and Jeeno Thitikul. With only hours left for tee-off, the 21-year-old found herself surrounded by journalists in the tournament’s press conference. During the Q&A, one of them asked the LPGA Tour pro, “Rose, I know we haven’t seen you for a few weeks. To be back out here at the Mizuho Americas Open, how excited are you to be back out competing?” wanting to know Zhang’s state of mind after such a long absence.
Responding to the reporter’s query, the American pro said, “I feel really good. I feel really good about where my mindset is at. I feel like this past break has been a blessing in disguise, in a sense. There has been so much happening in my life on and off the golf course that it’s good to rewind. Obviously, I spent my days not really playing golf, so I think this week to get back into the groove of things, to be able to practice, to be able to see the golf ball fly, it’s a little bit relieving. I think I’m excited to just keep on going and keep on building my game. I think this is just a little bit of a start to everything that’s going to happen months after.”
Zhang seems to be still catching up to her game. Busy studying and inspiring rising stars from her university, like Asterisk Talley, the 2x LPGA Tour champion, she barely had any time to practice golf. And with a neck injury after her return, she was not in a condition to take on the course in the past few weeks as well.
Speaking of the injury, the journalist also inquired, “Are you feeling any pain when you hit golf shots now? Is your practice limited?” seeking an update from Zhang. Still a bit unsure of where her game is at right now, the pro golfer replied, “It’s a little bit limited. This is my third day playing golf. I will say I’m not exactly the most prepared. I will say that I’ve been watching a lot of golf, and I feel like that helps me a lot, just to see what other players are doing and kind of even know the game a little bit more.”
Continuing to explain how she is preparing, Zhang added, “I feel like watching television and always seeing how other players are playing, and with the commentators, they have of insight, so I was able to bounce back and forth between the LPGA and the PGA and learn from there. I will say that the body is feeling really good. It’s a little bit tight just from not rotating as much.”
While having recovered from her injury, Zhang’s statement makes it seem like she is not tournament-ready yet. Considering the challenges she might face ahead, fans should not expect the young golfer to dominate the field at the Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City.
Sport Themen der Woche KW22 Sport Bilder des Tages Golf: Mizuho Americas Open Rose Zhang of the United States holds up the trophy after winning the Mizuho Americas Open golf tournament in her professional debut on June 4, 2023, at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Having said that, Roze Zhang is not someone anyone would take lightly. Just ask Jennifer Kupcho, and she will tell you just why.
Rose Zhang is coming in strong despite her uncertain form
20-year-old Rose Zhang had just received her LPGA Tour card when she teed off at the Liberty National Golf Club in 2023. Still very new to the league, she faced a very difficult challenge ahead of herself in the first edition of the Mizuho Americas Open. Still, Zhang was confident. After all, she had come off an excellent win in the NCAA Individual Championships, becoming the first woman to defend the amateur title.
The field was packed with the likes of Jennifer Kupcho, Ayaka Furue, and 2025 Black Desert Championship winner Haeran Ryu, all chasing title glory. However, it was Zhang who came out on top to win her very first LPGA Tour title in her first appearance since becoming a member. So if there is anyone who can pull off a surprise win, it is certainly Rose Zhang.
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