Rose Zhang seems to be growing fond of the New Jersey area. Zhang won her LPGA debut about one year ago at the Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National. This week, she’s finding Upper Montclair Country Club to be very much to her liking. During Friday’s second round of the 2024 Cognizant Founders Cup, Zhang posted a 4-under 68 and walked off the course at 13 under with a four-shot lead. She led by as many as five over Madelene Sagstrom at one point, as the second-year pro is taking control of the tournament in search of LPGA win No. 2. FOUNDERS CUP: Photo gallery Zhang started on No. 10 on Fri ..read more

Rose Zhang, almost a year after winning in her LPGA debut, is shaping into the role of spoiler this week. Zhang shot a 9-under 63 in the first round of the 2024 Cognizant Founders Cup to take a two-shot lead after 18 holes at Upper Montclair Country Club, located about 18 miles from the site of that maiden victory last season at the Mizuho Americas Open, which is next week’s event on the LPGA. It’s far from over, but Zhang is up six on Nelly Korda, who opened with a 3-under 69. Korda, of course, is seeking an LPGA-record sixth straight start. LPGA legends Annika Sorenstam and Nancy Lopez are t ..read more

Nelly Korda put herself in fine position to continue her historic streak after carding an opening 3-under 69 at the Cognizant Founders Cup. The World No. 1 looks to become the first player in LPGA history to win six consecutive starts. “You know, still a long, long ways away from Sunday,” said Korda, who insists she’s not thinking too much about the streak. Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004-2005) are the only other players in LPGA history to win five consecutive starts. Korda missed the cut last year in her only other start at Upper Montclair Country Club. She had Tiger Woods’ form ..read more

ESPN tennis analyst Rennae Stubbs came out to the Cognizant Founders Cup on Thursday wearing a T-shirt that read “Everyone watches Nelly Korda” in large upper-case font. It was a hopeful message from Stubbs, who believes not enough attention is being paid to Korda as she tries to become the first player in LPGA history to win six consecutive starts. Korda, who dazzled at the Met Gala earlier this week in New York City, opened with a 3-under 69 at Upper Montclair Country Club and sits four back of clubhouse leader Madelene Sagstrom. LPGA legends Annika Sorenstam and Nancy Lopez join Korda as th ..read more

Nine moms are teeing it up at the Cognizant Founders Cup, a week that celebrates the 13 women who built the tour along with the generations that followed. LPGA founder Betteye Danoff once teed it up at a tour stop in Dallas in the 1950s just two weeks after giving birth to daughter Debbie. She’d gone out to the tournament to see her friends in town and hit a few balls. Danoff wound up calling her husband, a physician, to see if was OK if she played. LPGA moms have always been remarkable. Caroline Masson just came back to the tour in March after giving birth to son Benton a year ago. Husband J ..read more

Jaden Smith, the 25-year-old son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, was the first person to say hello to Nelly Korda at the Met Gala on Monday evening. As she stood in line waiting to walk the green carpet – the dress code was “The Garden of Time” – Korda was mostly silent as she took in the scene. Wearing an Oscar de la Renta dress and her first spray tan, Korda was especially starstruck by Grammy-winning artist Shakira, who was also making her Met Gala debut. “It was just a dream come true,” said Korda. Life lately for the most dominant player in golf has been nothing but dreamy. Kor ..read more

Rose Zhang remembers the Friday afternoon weather delay at the inaugural Mizuho Americas Open like it was yesterday. It was her first start as a professional on the LPGA, but she found herself in player dining surrounded by high school friends who’d gathered to talk about college life and the junior golf scene. The kitchen staff at Liberty National Golf Course brought out warm cookies. “That was honestly a blast,” said Zhang, “even though it was a delay.” Zhang, of course, went on to make history over the weekend, becoming the first player since Beverly Hanson in 1951 to win on the LPGA in her ..read more

Ashley Shaw isn’t one to shy away from the moment. That much was apparent during a delightful pre-tournament press conference at the Cognizant Founders Cup. While all eyes fall on World No. 1 Nelly Korda this week, who looks to become the first player in LPGA history to win a sixth consecutive start, Shaw is enjoying her own bit of history as she tees it up in her first LPGA event. The 15-year-old carded a 1-over 73 on the Cognizant tournament course, Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey, on Monday to lead a field of eight in The John Shippen Cognizant Cup. The two-stroke victor ..read more

Nelly Korda, the hottest player in golf, hit the red carpet Monday evening wearing an Oscar de la Renta gown for the annual Met Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, a rare invitation for an LPGA player. But then, Korda’s play of late has been historically spectacular. This week’s LPGA event, the Cognizant Founders Cup takes place just outside New York at Upper Montclair Country Club in Cliffton, New Jersey, where Korda looks to become the first player in LPGA history to win six consecutive starts. The exclusive Met Gala – attended by celebrities such as Matt Damon, Sarah Je ..read more

In this week’s episode of “The Big Pickle”, Golf Channel’s Grant Boone and Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols preview Nelly Korda’s quest to make history at the Cognizant Founders Cup. A victory in New Jersey would make Korda, 25, the first player in tour history to win six consecutive starts. Boone and Nichols put some historical perspective on the potential feat and discuss the buzz that surrounds it, including TV coverage. They also take a look at some early U.S. Women’s Open qualifying results – who’s in and who’s out. Click here to listen to this week’s audio-only episode ..read more