Is Rose Zhang playing in the 2023 US Women's Open?

Rose Zhang has received a special exemption for the 2023 US Women’s Open Championship, which is scheduled to take place from Thursday, July 6, to Sunday, July 9, at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California.

Zhang made her professional debut last month at the Mizuho Americas Open. She eventually won the tournament, becoming the first player in 72 years to win her debut event as an LPGA professional.

USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer praised Zhang in a released statement. He said, as per LPGA:

"The U.S. Women’s Open is the greatest test of golf for the best players in the game, and that certainly includes Rose, who had a once-in-a-generation amateur career.

"With the first of many U.S. Women’s Opens coming to Pebble Beach, and young, talented players in the field like Rose, the future of the women’s game is undeniably bright."

The 20-year-old golfer has previously competed at the last four US Women's Open editions as an amateur, and this will be her first appearance as a professional. She debuted at the event in 2019 and finished T55. She then missed cuts in the next two years. Last year, she registered her best performance at the US Women's Open with a T-40 finish.

Zhang said that it was an honor to receive the exemption for the US Women's Open. She was quoted as saying via LPGA:

"Competing in the U.S. Women’s Open is always a special experience, and being granted an exemption into the first at Pebble Beach is truly an honor. This is a big moment for our sport, and I’m very appreciative of the USGA for the opportunity to be part of it."

Past champions Annika Sorenstam and So Yeon Ryu are the other two players who were granted special exemptions into the third major of this year.

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Rose Zhang's performance in the major championships so far

Rose Zhang made her debut in the major events in 2018 when she competed at that year's Chevron Championship. Zhang, who was just around 15 years of age then, finished at T60 with an aggregate of 2-over.

She has made 11 starts in the five majors, and her best finish came at this year's Women's PGA Championship, where she ended in a tie for eighth after carding 5-under 279 with an average single-round score of 69.750 over four days.

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Can Rose Zhang win the 2023 US Women's Open?

Rose Zhang during the 2022 US Women's Open

Although it's only been a month since Rose Zhang started playing as a professional, she has already become one of the favorites in every event she tees off. In the two events she played in last month, she won one and finished T8 in another.

For the US Women's Open 2023, many betting websites have put her among the favorites to lift the title at Pebble Beach on Sunday. As per BetMGM Sportsbook, Zhang is +1100 to win the first major of her career. World No. 1 Jin Young Ko is +1400 to triumph this week. She has won two majors so far.

Here are the odds for the US Women's Open 2023:

• Rose Zhang: +1100
• Jin Young Ko: +1400
• Atthaya Thitikul: +1800
• Hyo Joo Kim: +2000
• Leona Maguire: +2000
• Xiyu Lin: +2200
• Hye-Jin Choi: +2500
• Nelly Korda: +2500
• Minjee Lee: +2800
• Ayaka Furue: +3000