LPGA: Rose Zhang dunks on Cognizant Founders Cup field with stellar golf

Rose followed up a fantastic opening round with another stellar 18, as she took command of the Cognizant Founders Cup.

Rose Zhang entered this week in search of her second win on the LPGA Tour. Thursday, Zhang dominated Upper Montclair Country Club in New Jersey for the Cognizant Founders Cup. Zhang recorded the lowest round of her professional career, a 9-under 63.

Her hot play continued Friday, as Zhang posted another strong round, carding a 4-under 68. She sits at 13-under entering the weekend, atop the leaderboard.

To put into context how good she has been, Zhang holds at least a seven shot lead over everyone except Madelene Sagstrom and Nelly Korda.

Korda is looking to make her own history, of course.. She has won her last five tournaments and is trying to become the first woman ever to win six straight.

As of this writing, Korda is solo third at 7-under on her 11th hole.

But if Zhang keeps playing like this, it might not matter.

Zhang started her day on the back nine and recorded her first bogey of the week on the par-4 16th to go out in 36. But that did not deter her, as the 20-year-old phenom caught fire on the back.

She birdied the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th holes to close her round. When Zhang finished up, she led the field by six strokes, having gone out early Friday.

However, Sagstrom had not yet teed off. The Swede has put together another fantastic round herself. As she stands on the 14th tee, Sagstrom is 12-under, having cut into the deficit considerably.

It appears that this weekend might be a three-woman race.

Zhang became the first woman since Beverly Hanson in 1954 to win her LPGA debut last year at the Mizuho Americas Open. That track was also in New Jersey. There must be something in the water.

More likely, the Stanford Cardinal is already a world class player that will surely be around for a very long time.

Kendall Capps is the Senior Editor of SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social media platforms.