When two-time NCAA champion Rose Zhang came out of Stanford and became the first woman to win her professional debut since 1951, the sky was suddenly the limit.

Everyone expected Zhang to win again and again and again, much like Nelly Korda has been doing these days with her five-event streak.

Something unexpected happened. After winning the Mizuho Americas Open in Jersey City, New Jersey, last year, Zhang hasn’t won again. She played well last year, posting four top- 10 finishes and earning $1.39 million in 13 events, missing only one cut. The Ws just haven’t been there.

Back in New Jersey this week, the 20-year-old tied the tournament record with a 9-under 63 to take a two-stroke lead over Madelene Sagstrom in the Cognizant Founders Cup at the Upper Montclair Country Club. Korda was six shots back.

The bogey-free round featured nine birdies, including one on the No. 18 hole of the event that honors the 13 founding members of the LPGA.

“It’s been a really interesting journey for me,” Zhang said. “I think the first couple months that I was out here it was very adrenaline based where I was just living the life and kind of going out, having a lot of fun, no expectations, just learning and taking everything in."