“That Rib Was in My Golf Bag”: Rose Zhang Reveals a “Disturbing” Confession at the $7M LPGA Event

At the age of 20, Rose Zhang is known for many things, most famously for the history-shattering victory at her maiden LPGA Tour outing. Since then, the Stanford alumna has debuted at the Solheim Cup and played a solid maiden year to qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship. But did you think she would be believing in occult practices? How do you explain her carrying a bone in her golf bag then?

Superstition, you say? Sure, sportspersons are known to be ruefully superstitious about petty things (Tiger Woods winks at you wearing a red shirt). But what Zhang revealed in the CME Tour presser about the ‘rib’ ahead of the $7 million LPGA Tour season-ender might just tickle your funny bone.

Rose Zhang is just a “little bit weird”

“It’s a really funny story,” starts the rookie LPGA Pro with a ‘can’t-believe-I’m-telling-you-this’ smile on her face. It all dates back to March 2023 when her friend Rachel Heck, also a Stanford University student, shared their room at the NCAA. At the time, Heck went through her surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome for which doctors removed her first rib.

But Heck brought it – yes, the rib – as a joke to the NCAA. Zhang saw an opportunity to take it a notch further. She carried that bone in a box in her golf bag. Yup, you read that right. The one-time LPGA Tour winner said she had her friend, “put her rib in my golf bag during the practice rounds of NCAA.”

Then a laughing Zhang answers the most obvious question. “Safe to say that I didn’t carry it with me throughout the tournament.” But she did have it in her bag for “a solid 24 hours,” she said. Apparently, they had a jolly good time carrying Heck’s body part with them. In retrospect, Zhang admits it was “lowkey the most disturbing thing” she could’ve done with the rib. ‘Lowkey’ might not be the correct word here, though.

She admits they are a “little bit weird.” However, at this point, the main question is, now that she is a Pro, does her bagman know about it? We are not sure! But when the 20-year-old will tee off at the CME Group Tour Championship 2023, perhaps there will be a few questions reserved for him as well.

Zhang eyes $2M paycheck in the season-ender

Rose Zhang is currently at Naples, Florida, eyeing her second win and wrapping her first season with a $2 million paycheck. The CME Group Tour Championship offers the highest purse on the LPGA Tour. However, the rookie star will face stiff competition from the likes of Ruoning Yin, Lilia Vu, and Celine Boutier. 

Read More: Despite Failing To Steal LPGA’s Unique Crown, ‘Modest’ Rookie Rose Zhang’s Humble Confession Steals Fans’ Hearts

Vu and Boutier share eight trophies this season, with three Majors between them. Moreover, Hae Ran Ryu, the South Korean Pro who quite enjoyed the wacky tale sitting beside Zhang, has already edged past her by winning the Rolex Louise Suggs Trophy as the Rookie of the Year. 

While 2023 started with a bang for the World’s No.1 Amateur, she lost her mojo in the middle of the road. But, after a third-place finish at the Maybanks LPGA and a 15th-place finish at The ANNIKA, it looks like she is all geared up for the final ride. Oh, in case you’re still wondering, Rose Zhang has returned the bone to its “rightful owner.” What do you think of this quirky act of the golfer?

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