Rose Zhang opened the 2026 Fortinet Founders Cup with a 1-under-par 71, placing her tied for 40th after the first round. She trails Hyo Joo Kim by eight shots as the tournament gets underway at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club.

The round comes during a limited schedule for Zhang this season, as she has balanced professional golf with completing her studies at Stanford University. This marks just her second start of the year, following a top-10 finish earlier in January.

During the Founders Cup press conference on Tuesday, Zhang spoke about the significance of the event and the legacy behind it.

“It doesn't matter how successful you are; going back to just giving to the younger generations is really what I see from the Founders. And they're incredible. Like, 13 bad boss women able to dive into a male-dominated sport and be able to do what they did is incredible.”

The Fortinet Founders Cup is an LPGA Tour event established to honor the 13 founding members of the LPGA, who created the tour in 1950 to provide women with professional playing opportunities. 

As play continues, Zhang remains part of a field that includes past winners and current players competing under the 72-hole stroke play format, with a cut after 36 holes.

She won this event in 2024, making it one of the titles on her record on the LPGA Tour.

Zhang also pointed to the example set by those who came before her.

Rose Zhang on Learning From LPGA Trailblazers

For Rose Zhang, that perspective comes from what she has witnessed early in her career:

"I say I'm still a little far off from acting like a Founder. I would say it's so important. When I was a rookie out here, I already saw Beth Daniel, so many... Nancy Lopez. A lot of them come out here; they act as mentors for all of us professionals out there.”

The Founders Cup serves as a tribute to the role of the 13 women in building the women’s game and continues to recognize their contribution by connecting past pioneers with current players.

That group included players such as Patty Berg, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Louise Suggs, and Marilynn Smith, along with Alice Bauer, Bettye Danoff, Helen Dettweiler, Marlene Bauer Hagge, Helen Hicks, Opal Hill, Betty Jameson, Sally Sessions, and Shirley Spork.

Together, they created a structure for women to compete professionally and sustain a tour.

Over time, their contribution has continued to be acknowledged, and by 2024, all 13 founders were inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, marking their place in the history of the sport.

The 22-year-old added, pointing to the path those players created for the next generation:

“They've gone through the difficulties of bringing the women's game up, and they've paved the way for us to be able to have opportunities to play these golf courses, to create a career out of the thing that we're passionate about."

What do you think about Rose Zhang’s take on the LPGA Founders’ legacy?

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Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Shraabona Sengupta