The golf world is buzzing about a 301-yard drive that looks too good to be true. Rose Zhang, the two-time LPGA champion, hit that shot during the first-ever WTGL match on Sunday. A clip shared by ESPN went viral, racking up one million views in no time. But the excitement is mixed with serious doubt from experts who know how far the pros really hit it.
He called it an “open secret” among those who follow the game closely. LaMagna pointed out that the LPGA site lists Zhang’s average drive for the year at just 258 yards.
The Numbers Don’t Add Up
LaMagna believes the Full Swing simulator inflated the distance to make the moment look more impressive. Zhang struck the inaugural tee shot in WTGL history at the 337-yard “Cut the Sails” hole, he observed. The shot found the fairway, which is great, but the 301-yard claim feels wrong to those who track these stats. “I don’t know that much about Rose Zhang’s… how far does she hit a tee shot [in a neutral setting], but the LPGA site says her average for the year was 258,” he explained, according to EssentiallySports.
Brendan Porath, the content head of Fried Egg Golf, finished the thought by saying, “And then they broadcast ‘301’ [and] shot about it… I mean, it’s all manufactured at this point. Why not go for it?”
Tech Glitches and Frustrated Pros
Zhang isn’t the only one dealing with the quirks of the new system. Michelle Wie West, playing for Los Angeles Golf Club, had her own issues during the match. Although a 98-yard wedge shot by her landed near the hole, it spun away from the target in an unnatural manner. West was clearly frustrated and remarked, “That wasn’t a spinning shot… That was a long shot.” She later admitted the tech was “pretty accurate,” but the initial reaction showed just how hard it is to trust the virtual readings.
Zhang sprinted to the tee and beat the shot clock despite the tech drama., a move that would have cost Tiger Woods a penalty in January 2025. Her team, New York Golf Club, lost the match 3-1 to Los Angeles. The inaugural event at the SoFi Center in Florida showed promise, but the questions about the simulator’s accuracy remain loud. LaMagna insists the tech is “flawed” and that the league needs to fix it before the next round of matches.
