Rose Zhang’s Cliffside Ball Search at Pebble Beach Was Absolutely Terrifying

Zhang evoked Jordan Spieth at Pebble Beach, but in the worst way possible.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Rose Zhang’s journey on No. 8 at Pebble Beach during the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open conjured up memories of an iconic Jordan Spieth shot on the very same hole—but for all the wrong reasons. 

At the 2022 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Spieth hit his approach shot despite being just yards away from the hole’s treacherous 65-foot cliffs, and he gave the golf world a collective heart attack while doing so. 

On Thursday, Zhang tested a similar fate when she went searching for her ball by the 8th green rather than the drop-off point at the end of the 8th fairway. 

It was clear that Zhang’s approach veered to the right and short of the greenside bunker, but volunteers couldn’t locate it by the time she approached the area.

Zhang decided to venture down the steep cliffs by herself, carefully shuffling down the slopes and occasionally stopping to balance herself.

The entire process was terrifying to say the least, and the moment caught fire on Twitter. 

pic.twitter.com/sYwYb9vTg9

— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) July 6, 2023

The 8th hole at Pebble Beach is always trying to end our favorite golfers my goodness pic.twitter.com/Lh8Kj1nQth

— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) July 6, 2023

Chalk Cliffs at Ruegen, by Caspar David Friedrich, 1818-19 pic.twitter.com/6FM7BwnS1F

— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) July 7, 2023

Amazing sport. pic.twitter.com/kmoUrSB9ik

— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) July 6, 2023

Memes aside, Zhang unfortunately couldn’t find her ball, and was forced to take a drop on the opposite side of the ocean inlet. 

She ultimately carded a double-bogey 6 on the hole, and dropped from 2 under on the day to even par.