Signs say it could be Rose Zhang’s time

LANCASTER, Pa. — Some signs are more obvious than others. At the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open, where the purse rose to $12 million, the championship logo is not the logo of Lancaster Country Club but rather a red rose, a nod to the city of Lancaster’s English roots.

And, according to oddsmakers, who is the player – outside of Nelly Korda, of course, – most poised to win this week?

A woman named Rose.

Rose Zhang, a freshly turned 21-year-old who won her second LPGA title at the Cognizant Founders Cup earlier this month, currently ranks No. 6 in the world.

“I want to win this one pretty badly,” said Zhang, who tied for ninth at Pebble Beach last year in her first U.S. Women’s Open as a professional.

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This week marks Zhang’s sixth start in the championship, with her first coming in 2019 at the Country Club of Charleston. She has competed in every edition since, making the cut three times.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda’s six wins in her last seven starts makes her the overwhelming favorite this week, but those who follow the women’s game agree that few things could bolster the tour more than a Korda vs. Zhang rivalry, though it would no doubt be a friendly one.

The rose is part of the seal of the City of Lancaster. The championship logo this week is not the club’s logo but a rose, to honor the community’s involvement and draw on the city’s English roots. (Crowds here are 💯.)

TaylorMade gets a 🙌🏻 for this week’s USWO bag. 🌹 pic.twitter.com/jw7I1glErE

— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) May 27, 2024

Zhang, who became the first player since Beverly Hanson in 1951 to win the LPGA in her pro debut, was quick to praise Korda’s dominant run.

“I’m witnessing some crazy history,” said Zhang, “and it’s really, really inspiring to see her out here and playing. She’s almost looking unfazed, and I think because she’s so solidified in her prep work, she’s so solidified with the people around her, and she loves the game. She’s really just going out here and playing for herself.”

Rose Zhang plays her shot on the 14th tee during a practice round prior to the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club. (Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

After Zhang won the Founders Cup, snapping Korda’s five-win streak, she was forced to withdraw from the Mizuho early in the first round with illness, though she’s in fine shape now. A total of 10 players withdrew from the…