Next level

LPGA star getting the Woods and Jordan treatment in trading card and memorabilia deal

February 04, 2025
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Angel Martinez

Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and … Rose Zhang?

At only 21, the LPGA star and record-setting amateur has accomplished so much in her young career. And now Zhang has reached another sporting and cultural milestone by getting her own trading card set and memorabilia collection, like many of the world’s biggest stars.

Upper Deck, the prominent California-based trading card company, announced on Tuesday the signing of Zhang in a deal that will feature her in a card set, as well as offering unique signed memorabilia pieces.

Beyond Upper Deck’s merchandise for the likes of Woods, Jordan and James, it features merchandise from Hall of Famers Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, and current golfers in the fold are Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Max Homa, Billy Horschel and Viktor Hovland. The only other female golfer featured in the company’s website store is China’s Shanshan Feng, who retired in 2022.

Other female golf legends have been celebrated on trading cards, including Annika Sorenstam and Babe Zaharias. But they didn’t get the full treatment that Upper Deck is giving to Zhang. Her collection of trading cards is featured in the Goodwin Champions set in Upper Deck’s online store, and they represent defining moments in her career, such as winning the Mizuho Americas Open in her professional debut—a first on the LPGA since Beverly Hanson did it in 1951. Among the signed memorabilia available for purchase are Stanford polo shirts for $800 and Adidas Golf shoes for $1,000.

“Ever since I was young, golf has always been a passion of mine and I’m so excited to see these career moments captured across trading cards and memorabilia,” Zhang said in a news release. “I hope to inspire young athletes to chase their dreams, just like I did when I was a young child with a dream.”

In its press release, Upper Deck touted Zhang as the “female Tiger Woods.” Hyperbole, to be sure, though Woods and Zhang certainly have similarities. They both played junior golf growing up in Southern California; both went to Stanford, where Zhang won 13 times to eclipse the school record for wins that Woods shared with two others; and both won U.S. Amateurs (Zhang one, Woods three). Zhang also has attracted thousands of young fans who idolize her, just as kids did with Woods in his prime.

Currently ranked No. 14 in the world, Zhang’s stature quickly rose after she won her first pro start at the 2023 Mizuno Americas Open. She got her second win last May at the Founders Cup in New Jersey, but the tournament moved to Bradenton, Fla., this year, and Zhang can't defend her title this wewek because she is in classes at Stanford.

“I really like how my schedule is playing out right now," Zhang said last week, "because I’m full-time, 22 units for the winter quarter. But it’s only 10 weeks, so the week before Arizona [Ford Championship, March 27-30] would be my finals week, which is nice because I’ll get to finish everything that I need to and then prioritize that, put that to the side, and get ready for the entire season."