Rose cuts Korda's winning streak

Great things have been expected from Rose Zhang from the moment the two-time NCAA champion won in her professional debut last year and joined the LPGA Tour the following week.

The 20-year-old finally delivered on Sunday, birdieing four of the final five holes to win the Cognizant Founders Cup. She beat Madelene Sagstrom by two strokes while putting an official end to Nelly Korda's record-tying LPGA Tour winning streak.

"I was able to grow so much throughout my journey in this past year," Zhang said. "I don't know, it's crazy to come out here. I didn't have any expectation of having to win, because I realize that it's all just noise, and I really just have to be able to work at it myself and try my best to put myself in positions like this.

"But, no matter what happened this week, I would've been very satisfied, and it has reignited my passion for the game once again," she added after winning on Mother's Day.

Zhang, who was talking to her mother when she arrived at the media room, actually had a funny start to her round. The Stanford product almost fell on her rear when taking a shot from an awkward stance on the first hole. The shot could have gone anywhere. It hit the pin and she made par.

"I just thought to myself, wow, I mean, today is probably going to be a lucky day," said Zhang, who played with Sagstrom in a stroke-play duel with the rest of the field far back. "Maybe I can get something going. I would not have imagined myself being where I am now, especially after hole 12.

Sagstrom birdied that hole to take a three-shot lead and things did not look good for Zhang.

However, it got better in the event that honors the 13 founding members of the tour.

Zhang, who shot a 6-under 66, birdied holes 14, 15, 17 and 18 at Upper Montclair Country Club, while Sagstrom bogeyed the 16th and finished two back.

It was a heartbreaking end for Sagstrom, the 31-year-old Swede, who started the day with a one-shot lead and was looking for her first victory since 2020, and second overall on tour.

Korda, who struggled over the final two days, after playing magnificently in winning the five straight events she entered, began the day 11 strokes back and shot her second straight 73 to tie for seventh at 7 under.

She had no regrets. She hopes someone will join her and Hall of Famers Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam in winning five straight or even more.

"Just to do that with all the competition out here is super, super rewarding, especially with how much work that I've put in," the 25-year-old Korda said. "So, I think to get a streak like that, in any sport in general, is amazing with the amount of talent that I feel like every athlete has. It's just an amazing feeling and, hopefully, one day it'll sink in."

Agencies Via Xinhua