rose zhang biography

Rose Zhang Facts: 25 Things To Know About LPGA Tour Star

Here are 25 facts you may not be familiar with about the amateur sensation who is now making waves in the professional game

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Rose Zhang had a glittering amateur career at Stanford before turning pro after her 20th birthday and winning in her first ever start on the LPGA Tour. 

Get to know the rising star better with these facts about her life and incredible career so far...

Rose Zhang facts:

1. Rose Zhang was born in Arcadia, Los Angeles, California, on 24 May 2003.

2. She has one sibling, brother Bill, who was born in 1993.

3. Zhang began playing golf aged nine after a family friend brought over some clubs for her dad, Haibin. Curious, she picked up one of the clubs and took some swings in her backyard. She hit the ball flush on her third attempt. At that point, her dad arranged lessons for her.

4. Her smooth, repeatable swing is one of her biggest attributes, and she has worked with swing coach George Pinnell since the age of around 11.

5. She represented the USA at the 2019 Junior Solheim Cup.

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6. Zhang was named Girls Rolex Junior Player of the Year in 2019. The year after, she was handed the honor again.

7. Zhang competed in the 2019 US Women’s Open, aged 16. She finished tied for 40th.

8. Like Michelle Wie-West, Tiger Woods and Tom Watson before her, she studied at Stanford University.

9. Stanford head coach Anne Walker once described her as “the Mozart of golf, the Van Gogh of golf.”

10. She broke Wie-West’s scoring record to finish as Low Amateur at the 2020 ANA Inspiration (now The Chevron Championship).

11. She won Mark H McCormack Medals for top world amateur golfer three times in succession between 2020 and 2022.

Rose Zhang represented Team USA twice in the Curtis Cup, in 2021 and 2022

12. Zhang represented Team USA in the 2021 and 2022 Curtis Cup.

13. She set the Pebble Beach women’s course record with nine-under in the second round of the 2022 Carmel Cup.

14. In 2022, she became the first student athlete to sign deals with Callaway Golf and Adidas .

15. She won the low amateur honors at the 2022 AIG Women's Open.

16. In May 2023, Zhang won the NCAA Division I Women’s Championship, surpassing the number of wins Tiger Woods achieved as a Stanford University golfer , with 12.

Rose Zhang surpassed Tiger Woods' record of wins as a Stanford student with her victory in the 2023 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships

17. At the same time, she became the first player to win two NCAA individual titles.

18. Zhang set the record for consecutive weeks at the top of the World Amateur Golf Ranking in April 2023, surpassing Leona Maguire’s 135 weeks. By the time she ended her amateur career, it had stretched to 141 weeks.

19. She won the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

20. Zhang cites her dad as one of her greatest influences, and he has also caddied for her extensively, including in her win at Augusta National .

21. Nine days after turning pro, she won the Mizuho Americas Open to become the first woman to win an LPGA Tour title on her professional debut since Beverly Hanson in 1951.

22. She qualified for her Solheim Cup debut in 2023 at Spain's Finca Cortesin.

23. Less than a year after turning pro, Zhang won her second professional title at the 2024 Cognizant Founders Cup. She shot four rounds in the 60s for the first time in her pro career and a set a new tournament scoring record of 24-under-par.

24. Zhang qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

25. Her best Major finish is a T8th at the 2023 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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Who is Rose Zhang? Meet NCAA champion Stanford golfer who won pro debut on LGPA Tour

Sara Tidwell

Rose Zhang made her LPGA debut Thursday at the Mizuho Americas Open, a step 11 years in the making for the Stanford sophomore. On Sunday, she made history by becoming the first LGPA Tour golfer in 72 years to win her debut.

Zhang won a plethora of awards throughout her high school and early undergraduate years. She's a two-time McCormack Medal winner, an NCAA team and individual champion, and the recipient of the 2022 Annika Sörenstam award, among many other honors.

That's just the tip of the Zhang iceberg.

MORE:  The Memorial Tournament 2023 betting guide, best bets, and props

Here's what you need to know about the college star-turned-professional:

Who is Rose Zhang?

Zhang, daughter of Haibin Zhang and Li Cai and sister of Bill Sida Zhang, started playing golf at the age of 9. She attends Stanford University, where she played on the women's golf team. She has not declared a major.

Where is Rose Zhang from?

Zhang was born in Arcadia, Calif., on May 24, 2003. Just over a week after celebrating her 20th birthday, she made her LPGA debut.

She now lives in Irvine, Calif. She just finished her sophomore year at Stanford.

Rose Zhang high school

Zhang attended Pacific Academy in Irvine, Calif. There, she was a two-time McCormack Medal winner as the world's top amateur golfer. Zhang joined elite company, including Lydia Ko (New Zealand) and Leona Maguire (Republic of Ireland).

She broke Michelle Wie's scoring record (tied for 11th) in the 2020 ANA Inspiration Low Amateur and won the 2020 Rolex Girls Junior Championship. She was a four-time Curtis Cup Player of the Year and represented the United States at the 2019 Junior Solheim Cup and Pan American Games.

The 2021 U.S. Girls' Junior champion competed in four LPGA major championships that year and represented the U.S. again at the 2021 Curtis Cup.

In high school, she became the eighth golfer to win both the U.S. Junior and U.S. Amateur, but the first player to win the Amateur before the Junior. 

Rose Zhang NCAA career at Stanford

In her two years and 58 rounds at Stanford, Zhang recorded a scoring average of 69.22 in 4,015 strokes. She ended at par or better in 50 of those rounds, and 31 ended in the 60s. She had 18 top-10 finishes. 

With 12 wins, she surpassed legends Tigers Woods, Patrick Rodgers and Maverick McNealy for most victories in Stanford golf history. Four came during her freshman season; the other eight were earned this past season. Zhang tied the NCAA single-season record with those eight wins, joining Renee Heiken (Illinois, 1992-93) and Lorena Ochoa (Arizona, 2001-02).

She's also the first female golfer to win back-to-back individual college titles after defending her crown in May 2023. 

Zhang earned her wins in just 20 events. Woods played in 26.

The greatest collegiate golfer ever. 🌹 12 wins in 20 tries. 8 wins this season. Back-to-back National Champion! #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/RYTpOFYKK3 — Stanford Women's Golf (@StanfordWGolf) May 23, 2023

She was also the 2023 winner of the Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship and the 2022 Pac-12 Player and Freshman of the Year. She was a first-team All-American for Golfweek (2022) and the WGCA (2022) and a two-time all-Pac-12 selection (2022, 2023).

She set the Pebble Beach Golf Links women's course record with a 9-under round in the 2022 Carmel Cup. Her lowest tournament score, 19 under, was both the Stanford program's 54-hole record and the lowest score in NCAA Regional history.

Rose Zhang golf swing

Zhang has the fundamentals of a great golf swing. Her head coach, Anne Walker, called her "the Mozart, the Van Gogh of golf."

“She has a stroke of genius, she has an X-factor that you can’t describe, you can’t teach," Walker told NCAA.com . "She just has the ability to dig deep to a place where she can do something special under immense amounts of pressure."

Here's what others are calling her "sweet swing":

The sweet swing of Rose Zhang, first tee at Whispering Pines @thespiritgolf . I want to swing like this when I grow up. pic.twitter.com/VltSvhY5Yr — Adam Schupak (@AdamSchupak) November 4, 2021

Rose Zhang’s lefty swing is better than your dominant-side swing pic.twitter.com/gD5wL4CEi3 — Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) May 22, 2023

What an awesome golf swing. Rose Zhang 👏 pic.twitter.com/s7iJU2bR1U — Travis Fulton (@travisfulton) April 2, 2023

Sara Tidwell is an editorial intern with The Sporting News. A native to Michigan's Thumb region, she received her Bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University. Previous bylines include the Detroit News, Cincinnati Enquirer, Hartford Courant and The State News.

Who is Rose Zhang?

Player Profiles

By Matt Coles

She’s one of the LPGA Tour’s newest stars, but who is Rose Zhang? Find out more about the American here…

Rose Zhang is one of the best talents rising through women’s golf, and she won on her LPGA Tour debut in June 2023.

Zhang was born in 2003 in California and started playing golf at the age of 9. She won the 2020 US Women’s Amateur and moved to the top of the World Amateur Golf Rankings. She would stay at the summit for 142 weeks, a record, before turning professional. The American also won the US Girls’ Junior and became the first two-time NCAA Individual Championship in college history. She was awarded the Mark H McCormack Medal in 2020, 2021 and 2022 for being the world’s top amateur. 

After turning professional, Zhang won on her LPGA Tour debut . She won a play-off at the Mizuho Americas Open, and became the first woman in over 70 years to win on her debut on the LPGA Tour . She went on to finish in the top ten at three of the year’s majors. Those performances over the course of 2023 saw her automatically qualify for the Solheim Cup , where she made her debut. 

Rose Zhang | Player Profile

Personal information.

Name: Rose Zhang Born: May 24, 2003 Nationality: United States Residence: Irvine, California, United States

Turned Pro: 2023 Professional Wins: 1 Highest World Ranking: 25 – November 20, 2023

Best Results In Majors

Best Finishes: – Chevron Championship – T11 (2020) – Women’s PGA Championship – T8 (2023) – US Women’s Open – T9 (2023) – Amundi Evian Championship – T9 (2023) – AIG Women’s Open – T28 (2022)

Professional Wins – 2

2023 (1) – Mizuho Americas Open 2024 (1) – Cognizant Founders Cup

Achievements and Awards

Mark H McCormack Medal – 2020, 2021, 2022 Smyth Salver – 2022

Rose Zhang | What’s In Her Bag?

Zhang is a Callaway staff player, playing the Paradym Triple Diamond driver, along with a Paradym hybrid. Apex irons and Jaws Raw wedges, along with an Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K putter are all in play. The American uses a Callaway Chrome Soft X ball.

You can read our full article on what’s in the bag for Rose Zhang here .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Rose Zhang

When and where was rose zhang born.

Rose Zhang was born in Arcadia, California in May 2003 and she began playing golf at the age of 9. 

When did Rose Zhang turn professional?

Zhang turned professional after one of the best amateur careers in history. She turned pro in 2023 and immediately won her first event on the LPGA Tour, becoming the first woman in 70 years to do so.

How many professional titles has Rose Zhang won?

As of May 2024, Zhang has won twice on the LPGA Tour, with the first of those coming in her first appearance on the tour. She made history by winning the Mizuho Americas Open, where she defeated American Solheim Cup teammate Jennifer Kupcho in a play-off. Zhang also won the Cognizant Founders Cup a year later.

Did you Know?

Winner first time out.

After breaking all sorts of records as an amateur, Zhang showed her class by winning her first tournament on the LPGA Tour. She was victorious at the Mizuho Americas Open, becoming the first golfer in more than 70 years to achieve the feat of winning on debut on the LPGA Tour.

Showing Major Class

Her first three major championship appearances as a professional showed her class on the biggest stage. She finished inside the top ten at the Women’s PGA Championship, US Women’s Open and Evian Championship in 2023. 

Amazing Amateur Success

Zhang spent a record 142 weeks at the top of the World Amateur Golf Rankings, and she got to the top after winning the US Women’s Amateur in 2020. She then won the US Girls’ Junior a year later before winning the NCAA Championship in 2022. Zhang then repeated that feat in 2023, becoming the first woman to win the individual national championship on two occasions.

She also won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur the same year, before turning professional. Zhang was awarded the Mark H McCormack Medal in 2020, 2021 and 2022 for being the world’s top amateur. 

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Mention a European country, and Matt will tell you which resorts make the National Club Golfer Top 100s: European Resorts list. He might even throw in who designed the golf course and how many rooms the hotel has got at each one…

Matt got into the game of golf from a young age, following his old man to the local golf club. He fell for the sport, and now can’t seem to go a day without thinking about how to improve his game (Thanks Dad!). Matt has been a member of Howley Hall GC in Leeds since 2020, and is just about managing to maintain a single-figure handicap. He likes to remind people that he once broke 75, but won’t tell people that it was on a shortened course during the winter.

He moved to Leeds after graduating from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class Honours degree in Sports Journalism. Matt joined NCG after almost five years travelling the world with the Professional Squash Association, working on events in all four corners of the globe.

Matt currently plays a Cobra King LTDx driver and RadSpeed 3-wood. TaylorMade monopolise the rest of his bag, with a SIM UDI, M5 irons and both Milled Grind and HI-TOE wedges, along with a Monza Redline putter. He uses a Vice Pro Plus golf ball, because he’s a bit different…

Away from golf, Matt is a Manchester United fan, and a keen runner, having ran the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon (his first and possibly last), in May 2023.

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Rose Zhang is not your typical 20-year-old. The California native is balancing her college life at the prestigious Stanford University with a budding golf career that has already made waves on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour (LPGA).

Rose Zhang's Rise From Amateur Stardom to Pro Success

Multi-tasking is indeed one of Zhang's greatest strengths, and she is not one to slow down. The Amercian turned professional in May 2023  after a glittering amateur career. She made history by becoming the first women's golfer to win consecutive individual NCAA national titles and her 12 wins in 20 starts saw her achieve a better strike rate than Tiger Woods who had 11 victories in 26 tournaments.

This attention-grabbing accomplishment set the stage for her pro debut less than two weeks later. In a stunning performance, she triumphed over major champion Jennifer Kupcho at the Mizuho Americas Open, making her the first player to win an LPGA tournament on her professional debut in 72 years .

Zhang is one of the first college athletes to sign multiple sponsorship deals with major brands. She plans to complete her degree while playing professionally at Stanford.

Early in 2024, she is closing in on the top 20 of the Women's World Golf Rankings. With four Americans ranked above her, and a maximum of four  per nation in the women's golf tournament at Paris 2024 , she is in with a chance of making her Olympic debut in the French capital.

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Rose Zhang is the 1st golfer in 72 years to win LGPA event in same week as pro debut

Gus Contreras

Justine Kenin

Rose Zhang became the first golfer in 72 years to win on the LPGA Tour in her pro debut. Zhang captured the Mizuho Americas Open with a par on the second playoff hole.

Copyright © 2023 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

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Stanford Athletics | June 7, 2023

Rose zhang becomes first golfer in 72 years to win lpga event in pro debut.

JERSEY CITY, N.J.— Rose Zhang captured the inaugural Mizuho Americas Open title in a two-hole sudden-death playoff on Sunday, delivering one of the most historic moments in the sport while becoming the first player to win her LPGA debut since Beverly Hanson in 1951.

In a battle of former NCAA and Augusta champions, Zhang defeated fellow American Jennifer Kupcho in a two-hole sudden-death playoff. Zhang finished her first tournament at 279 overall (-9), carding rounds of 70-69-66-74.

RELATED:  Stanford's Rose Zhang turns pro after stellar collegiate career

Zhang earned automatic tour membership with the victory, becoming the fourth sponsor invite to win on the LPGA Tour since 2003 and first since Lydia Ko in 2013.

Zhang has produced countless memorable moments throughout her career, with Sunday's milestone all the more significant considering the former Cardinal standout played her final collegiate match on May 23 and turned pro three days later following two dynamic seasons (2022-23) on The Farm.

Zhang, who plans to remain enrolled at Stanford and continue pursuing her degree in communication while training at the world-class Siebel Varsity Golf Training complex, produced arguably the most decorated amateur career in the history of collegiate golf.

One of four finalists for the Class of 2023 Honda Sport Award for Golf, Zhang is bidding to repeat after claiming the award in 2022. The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 47 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and signifies "the best of the best in collegiate athletics".

A two-time Pac-12 Golfer of the Year, Zhang joined UCLA's Bronte Law (2015-16) as the only repeat winner and one of three two-time recipients overall. However, Zhang's resume of wins, awards and scoring records stands out in comparison to her predecessors.

In just 20 collegiate events over her two seasons, Zhang delivered a school-record 12 victories, matching Arizona's Lorena Ochoa (2001-03) for the most in conference women's golf history. Only Arizona State's Phil Mickelson finished with more, claiming 16 titles from 1988-92.

CHAMPS RECAP:  Wake Forest wins team title, Zhang wins second individual crown

As a sophomore in 2023, Zhang won a staggering 8-of-10 events, becoming only the fourth woman to sweep through the postseason with record-setting Pac-12 and NCAA Regional crowns and an unprecedented NCAA title defense. Zhang's eight single-season wins tied her for the most in women's collegiate golf history and matched Tiger Woods (1995-96) for the most in school history.

A two-time NCAA individual champion — the first female to accomplish the feat — Zhang twice set the NCAA single-season scoring average record, with a 68.81 sophomore-season scoring average besting a 69.68 freshman average. A two-time First Team WGCA All-American, Zhang also established the NCAA career scoring average record with a 69.24 average in 62 career rounds.

In addition to finishing her career as a two-time ANNIKA Award recipient, Zhang was also a two-time WGCA Golfer of the Year, becoming the first repeat honoree since Duke's Amanda Blumenherst in 2008.

Back on April 19, Zhang reached 136 consecutive weeks as the world's leading female amateur golfer, surpassing the previous record of 135 set by Leona Maguire of the Republic of Ireland in 2018. Zhang also captured the 2023 Augusta National Women's Amateur, defeating Georgia's Jenny Bae on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff. Zhang also won the U.S. Girls Junior and U.S. Women's Amateur in her illustrious amateur career.

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Carnegie Mellon wins the 2024 NCAA DIII women's golf championship

Zhang made her professional debut at the Mizuho Americas Open and has wone twice on the LPGA Tour; 2023 Mizuho Americas Open & 2024 Cognizant Founders Cup.

Zhang is the first player to win in their first start as a professional on the LPGA Tour since Hinako Shibuno won the 2019 AIG Women’s Open.

She is the eighth player since 1992 to win in their first professional start on Tour, joining the likes of Shibuno and Karrie Webb (1995 Weetabix Women’s British Open).

Zhang is the first player to win while making their professional debut since Beverly Hanson did so in 1951.

Zhang is the first non-member to win on the LPGA Tour since Maja Stark won the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational.

She is the fourth sponsor invite to win on Tour, joining Lydia Ko (2013 & 2013 CPKC Women’s Open), Lexi Thompson (2011 Navistar LPGA Classic) and Hee Kyung Seo (2010 JTBC Classic Presented by Barbasol).

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Rose Zhang shares the big difference in her 2024 Solheim Cup experience after making her debut last year

Rose Zhang was unquestionably the star of this year’s Solheim Cup, with the youngster winning all four of her matches at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club as USA won the trophy for the first time since 2017.

Rose Zhang was perhaps one of the players with a bit of a point to prove after her debut performance at the Solheim Cup back in 2023. The 21-year-old was the final player to qualify automatically for Stacy Lewis’ team ahead of Finca Cortesin, but she would not have the easiest time in Spain.

Zhang took just half a point from her three matches, losing to Leona Maguire in the singles as the event ended in the tie which saw Europe retain the cup. But her performance this time around could have hardly been more different.

Zhang won all four of her matches, finishing as the top points scorer in Gainesville. Remarkably, she did not play beyond the 16th hole at any stage throughout the week. And it was a real statement that she beat Carlota Ciganda so comfortably in the singles, winning 6&4 against the Spaniard, who, so often, has been one of Europe’s best fighters.

Rose Zhang explains the big difference between her two Solheim Cup appearances

So there could have hardly been a bigger contrast between Zhang’s two appearances so far. And speaking ahead of the Kroger Queen City Championship, she explained that she had a completely different mindset after almost trying too hard to make an impact one year ago.

“100 percent. When I was selected for Solheim last year it just came so quick, especially with just turning pro that summer and also playing Solheim that same summer,” she said.

“I felt as if I was a little bit out of place and I wanted to do my best, so I put a lot of pressure to try and perform. That took a little bit of the fun part out of it.

“This year, with a year under my belt, I was able to really let loose a little and become more comfortable with the team around me. And the team, it’s been a little bit different this year where everyone was just collectively having such a good time. Caddies were letting loose and staying loose for us.

“So we all just had such an amazing time. That’s what we’d been commenting as well in the team room, so it’s been really high vibes, which allowed me to go out there and just have a good time.”

A much-needed reminder of her world-class potential

Zhang should take a lot of confidence from her performance after a mixed year. She did win the Cognizant Founders Cup in remarkable fashion earlier this season, with her and Madelene Sagstrom absolutely leaving the rest of the field behind before having a shootout between themselves.

But her displays in the majors have been underwhelming, with two missed cuts and no top 25 finishes throughout the year. Zhang had finished in the top 10 on three occasions in the sport’s five biggest events in 2023.

If there was any doubt, last week at the Solheim Cup showed that she is most definitely a superstar with the game to take that next step.

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‘It was a black-out moment!’ Rose Zhang recalls her Solheim Cup debut

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If Rose Zhang had sat down at the start of 2023 and written down what the next 12 months would look like, not even the most creative novelists could have come up with how it ended up panning out.

If you didn’t already know anything about this brilliant teenager tearing up the unpaid ranks, you certainly did by the time she had announced herself to the world with victory at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

The following month, on the day she turned 20, Zhang lifted the NCAA Championship for the second consecutive year to become the first female player to win it twice. Two days later, she announced her intention to turn pro, ending a record-breaking streak as the world’s top-ranked amateur at 142 weeks. But this was just the start of something special.

Just a few days passed when, Zhang, with the eyes of the world on her, saw off Jennifer Kupcho in a playoff at the Mizuho Americas Open to become the first LPGA player to win on her professional debut since Beverly Hanson in 1951.

Three of Zhang’s next four starts were major championships, and top tens in each rocketed her into the world’s top-30 and, with it, a guaranteed Solheim Cup debut. Something that, she said at the time, was “certainly not one of my goals”.

But life comes at you fast, so bunkered sat down with the rising star to find out all about her debut at Finca Cortesin…

You said the 2023 Solheim Cup wasn’t in your plans, so to play in it just four months after turning pro must have been beyond your wildest dreams?

Yes, it was! I played in the 2017 and 2019 Junior Solheim Cups, at Des Moines and Gleneagles, so being able to participate with the US team and represent my country at that age was amazing, but I was also able to interact with a lot of the Solheim Cup members in both events and that just made me realise how fun it is, and how exciting it is, especially being on that big stage representing the red, white and blue.

It was something I was thinking about, and had always been a huge goal of mine, when I wanted to turn pro. It just happened so fast.

• The Solheim Cup brings out the absolute worst in all of us – and that’s why it’s the best

How was it when you turned up at Finca and suddenly you’re in a team room with the likes of Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson and Danielle Kang?

Honestly, it was a nerve-wracking experience!

I was newly-turned pro and I did not know anything, outside the ropes, of the team. These are the people that I’ve watched on TV my whole life. I knew a couple of the members from way before in amateur golf – Andrea Lee, being alumni at Stanford, is one of my great friends, and Allisen Corpuz and I played in the Curtis Cup together. Apart from that, I didn’t really have too much interaction with the rest prior to the event itself.

But Megan Khang was super open with me, and she took me under her wing a little bit. Ali Ewing almost felt like a mum for the entire team, she had such a good energy. And we had so much camaraderie, even though we had five rookies on the team.

So it was honestly a great experience to really get to know people who I’d watched growing up, but at the same time we’re now teammates.

When your Solheim Cup career got underway, you and Megan Khang shared the points with Gemma Dryburgh and Madelene Sagstrom. How did that feel?

It took some of the pressure off, just because I knew then that I wasn’t going back home pointless!

Honestly, it felt great. It was just such a cool experience to be able to play match play, especially when you don’t play a lot of it in the professional ranks. I enjoyed my time with Megan, and we played against incredible opponents, but we made some really clutch putts and hit some really great golf shots that ultimately led to a half.

Half-points are everything when it comes to a Solheim Cup. No point goes left unnoticed.

One such putt was your ten-footer at 16 to halve the hole after Gemma had chipped in. You seemed like the calmest player on the course. How do you keep yourself in the zone in a moment like that?

Honestly, I only thought about full-sending that putter!

You’ve got to get it to the hole, first of all, otherwise you’ve basically lost your entire battle there. I’d say it’s super interesting, because, especially in high-pressure moments like that, it was almost an all-or-nothing situation. So, you kind of tap-in to this part of you that really grinds through, pushes through, and you don’t really think about the consequences of what the aftermath in your putting or your shots are.

It was almost a black-out moment just because she chipped in, we’re on European soil, the crowds are going wild, and it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard. Even lining up the putts, people were just yelling, and it was just such a good moment.

But at the same time, I knew that, at that moment, if I didn’t lock in, then it wouldn’t be ideal. So, inevitably, I just think about being present, composed, setting up, and committing. That was my only thoughts during that time.

And on the second day you got to play with your good friend Andrea Lee…

Oh, I was so excited to be paired up with my pal! Andrea has always been such a big sister to me.

Even before I was at Stanford, I played in the final of the US Women’s Amateur against Gabi Ruffels, who was at USC at the time, and Andrea called me “Little Stanford”. So, we’ve always had a bond, and being able to be on tour with her, see what she’s done, and now become Solheim Cup partners, was pretty exciting.

I’d say I was not expecting us to be on that team that year – mainly because I wasn’t expecting myself to be on the team in the first place – but being with her provided a lot of comfort, because we were both rookies, too.

• US captain Stacy Lewis reacts to Solheim Cup ‘housegate’ drama

Looking ahead to September and your second Solheim Cup – how will you prepare differently, if at all?

No, the preparation will be the same.

My only thing is, when you’re playing matchplay, sometimes you play your best game but things don’t go your way, whereas sometimes you just need to grind out and you come out on top.

Match play is so unpredictable, so there’s no expectations. I’m going to put as many points as I can on the board, but you also can’t force it to where you put too much pressure on that score. In match play, you have to be present on every single shot because, even if you’re up three with four to go, you can lose. And that’s when closing out matches becomes so much more crucial.

Do you see yourself taking on a mentorship role with any rookies making the team?

Oh, no! I would argue I still feel like a rookie! I think there’s a lot of experienced people on the team. We’ve got Stacy [Lewis], our captain, and there’s going to be a lot of veterans who have played multiple Solheim Cups together. So being able to still continue to learn from them is something I’m looking forward to.

Finally, the start of your Solheim Cup career has coincided with a mini period of dominance for Europe. Are you confident of winning that trophy back?

Yes! Our team this year is going to be even stronger.

This interview first appeared in issue 214 of bunkered magazine .

Alex Perry is the Associate Editor of bunkered. A journalist for more than 20 years, he has been a golf industry stalwart for the majority of his career and, in a five-year spell at ESPN, covered every sporting event you can think of. He completed his own Grand Slam at the 2023 Masters, having fallen in love with the sport at his hometown club of Okehampton and on the links of nearby Bude & North Cornwall.

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In stunning pro debut, Rose Zhang keeps rolling — right into history books

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Rose Zhang made more history Sunday at Liberty National.

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JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Just before the sun set over the New York City skyline Sunday night, golf’s next superstar officially arrived.

As cheers rained down from from the grandstands looming over Liberty National’s 18th green, Rose Zhang fished her ball out of the hole and raised her hand over her mouth in disbelief. Just under a week after the Stanford wonderkid announced she was turning pro , she put the finishing touches on her first professional title at the Mizuho Americas Open.

“I just can’t believe it,” Zhang said.

With her playoff victory over Jennifer Kupcho, Zhang becomes the first player to win an LPGA title in her professional debut since Beverly Hanson in 1951. She’ll also receive a check for $412,500, immediate membership on the LPGA Tour and eligibility to compete in the Solheim Cup this fall.

“I’ve enjoyed the journey,” Zhang said. “I had so many cheers around me. All my friends and family. Just so thankful.”

She also assumes the mantle as the brightest young star in the women’s game, seemingly with the potential to reach heights that no American player has reached in generations.

The buzz around Rose Zhang’s golf game has been building for the last several years. She won the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur while still a junior, and added the U.S. Girls’ Junior title a year later. By the time she stepped foot on campus in Palo Alto, she had a resume that rivaled almost anyone in amateur golf.

Zhang’s two collegiate seasons only grew her stature. She won 12 times while at Stanford, breaking the Cardinal record held by, among others, Tiger Woods. She won a team title in her freshman season and back-to-back NCAA individual titles to boot. Earlier this year she triumphed at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. When Zhang arrived at Liberty National earlier this week, her legend preceded her.

It’s not often that a sponsor’s invite is a headliner, but when Zhang got the nod, the buzz immediately began to build. Her media obligations early in the week cut into her practice time, and there was not a player in the field who garnered more ink.

“I’m human, so I certainly do feel it,” Zhang said Wednesday of the weight of the moment. “[But] I have a fundamental core that allows me to just keep going and not think about other people’s expectations.”

Zhang had proven that formula worked for her in the amateur game. Question was, could she also live up to the mounting hype in her debut as a professional?

The first 54 holes of Zhang’s pro career could not have followed a better script. In the first round of the Mizuho — where the field played alongside the brightest talents from the American Junior Golf Association — Zhang shot a two-under 70. On cut day, she did one better, with a 69. Top 10 heading into the weekend is always good, but Zhang had her eyes on a larger prize. With a bogey-free 66 on Saturday, the 20-year-old slept on her first 54-hole LPGA lead.

“I think it’s just great to be in [this] position,” she said. “It just shows that leading up to the last three days you’ve been doing a great job at playing your best on the golf course.”

When she arrived to the course on Sunday, the expectations — and stakes — were even weightier. Eighteen holes were all that separated Zhang from history.

After a ferry ride to the course and quick warm-up session, Zhang stepped to the first tee alongside Atthaya Thitikul and Anna Davis. Michelle Wie West — the tournament host — walked over to give Zhang well wishes. “I’m so nervous for her!” Wie West said.

Zhang’s opening tee shot split the middle of the fairway.

But while birdies were in surplus early in the week, Zhang struggled to find them during the final round. With cool winds whipping off the Hudson River (paired with diabolical pin positions), hitting any approach close was tough. A cold putter didn’t help Zhang’s cause, but she played well enough to stay atop the leaderboard.

By the time Zhang stepped to the 18th tee, she needed just a par to complete her improbable run to the title.

Although Zhang made no birdies during her final round, she held firm as the pace car. Through 17 holes, she’d dropped just one shot, a bogey on the 4th. But, as so often is the case, finishing off the tournament was not so simple.

Her drive off 18 sailed left and rolled into the fairway bunker, limiting her chances of hitting the green in regulation. After blasting out to just short of the putting surface, Zhang spun a wedge to within 10 feet of the hole. One putt and the title was hers. The ball rolled end over end true to its line, but drifted right at the last moment, ensuring bogey and a playoff against Jennifer Kupcho.

Despite the disappointment, Zhang did not panic.

“I’ve done this before, especially at ANWA,” she said. “Even though playoffs are never comfortable, I felt like it was such a familiar position that I’ve been in before.”

As the duo rode back to the 18th tee, the crowd surrounding the green grew restless. They’d waited all day for the chance to witness history, and now there was a chance it would be spoiled.

Zhang refused to let that happen.

After matching with pars on the first playoff hole, Zhang and Kupcho again carted back to the tee box. Kupcho and Zhang both split the fairway, though Kupcho was 60 yards ahead. No matter, Zhang stepped up and hit a towering 4-hybrid to seven feet.

“One of the best shots that I’ve ever hit,” she said. “It was a very difficult shot with the wind pushing against me, but it went well.”

Kupcho three-putted from short of the green, and the coronation officially began.

When the handshakes and hugs were complete, a stream of AJGA players flooded onto the green to mob Zhang. One of Zhang’s pals burst into tears as she embraced her friend.

“Oh my gosh, you’re crying?!” Zhang said. “Even I’m not crying!”

It wasn’t long ago that Zhang was competing alongside these juniors. Now, she’s beating the best pros in the world.

Zhang accepted a bouquet of (what else?) roses, and the petals scattered across the green. Wie West embraced Zhang in a hug and put her hands on the face of golf’s newest star.

“I’m so happy for Rose,” Wie West said. “I’m so proud of her.”

Mark Steinberg, the agent, bear-hugged his client, lifting her off her feet. Not long later, Zhang’s phone pinged letting her know it was time to pose for a BeReal photo, which she did as the flashbulbs popped from the throngs of photographers encircling her.

“I really got a bit of everything,” she said of her historic Sunday. “Got a taste of pressure, got a taste of the wind, and I tried to stay composed as always. I knew that golf was just a grind and you really had to dig deep. Once again, that’s what I did.”

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Zhang was whisked from station to station, fulfilling her obligations and posing for pictures. With the crowds dissipating and coming down from the collective high of witnessing history, Steinberg walked off the back of the green. He could muster only one word.

“Amazing.”

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Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at [email protected].

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Rose Zhang leaves dominant amateur career to turn pro

Stanford golfer Rose Zhang holds the champions trophy after the final round of the NCAA college women’s golf championship at Grayhawk Golf Club, Monday, May 22, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Stanford golfers celebrate with Rose Zhang, center right, after she won the NCAA college women’s golf championship at Grayhawk Golf Club, Monday, May 22, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Stanford golfer Rose Zhang hits from the 16th tee during the final round of the NCAA college women’s golf championship at Grayhawk Golf Club, Monday, May 22, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Stanford golfer Rose Zhang hits from the 17th tee during the final round of the NCAA college women’s golf championship at Grayhawk Golf Club, Monday, May 22, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Stanford golfer Rose Zhang watches her shot miss the cup on the 16th green during the final round of the NCAA college women’s golf championship at Grayhawk Golf Club, Monday, May 22, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Stanford golfer Rose Zhang kisses the champions trophy after the final round of the NCAA college women’s golf championship at Grayhawk Golf Club, Monday, May 22, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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Rose Zhang dominated amateur golf like no other female in the modern game. Now the Stanford star is ready to take on the best.

Zhang announced Friday she is turning pro, ending an amateur career in which the 20-year-old sophomore set the Stanford record with 12 wins — one more than Tiger Woods — in only 20 tournaments.

She won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, followed that with her second straight NCAA titles and was No. 1 in the amateur world ranking for 141 weeks, another record.

“Wow ... it’s finally happening,” Zhang announced on Instagram. “The endless love, support and inspiration from so many people brought me to this point of my golf career.”

She will have no shortage of opportunities — the remaining four majors, including the U.S. Women’s Open and the Women’s British Open — have given her special exemptions.

The Women’s Open is at Pebble Beach, the most iconic of U.S. Open venues, for the first time. While no longer an amateur, Zhang is the first player to get a special invitation to the U.S. Women’s Open without having LPGA status since Michelle Wie West.

“This is a big moment for our sport, and I’m very appreciative of the USGA for the opportunity to be part of it,” Zhang said.

Even rarer is getting an invitation to the Women’s British.

“Rose Zhang is an incredibly talented golfer who has already written her name into the history books as an amateur golfer,” said Martin Slumbers, the CEO of the R&A. “It is very rare that we grant a special exemption for the AIG Women’s Open but we believe that Rose’s exceptional achievements to date warrant her inclusion in the field at Walton Heath.”

Zhang will make her debut next week in the Mizuho Americas Open, a new tournament hosted by Michelle Wie West at Liberty National in New Jersey.

“Rose is one of the greatest amateur golfers in the history of the sport – male or female – and we are thrilled to welcome her into our field,” said Jerry Rizzieri, the president and CEO of Mizuho Securities USA.

It was an example of the hype that Zhang brings with her to the professional game. But then, she has been facing expectations ever since she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur and the U.S. Girls Junior. She was the eighth player to win both, but the first to win the Women’s Amateur (at age 17) before the Junior.

Along with the two NCAA titles — Stanford won the team title last year — the final piece of an incomparable career was the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, already among the elite amateur events because it is held at the home of the Masters.

She also will player the Kroger Queen City Championship in Cincinnati, an event run by Excel Sports, the management agency with whom she signed.

Zhang already has NIL deals at Stanford, and given her mixture of prodigious talent and remarkable grace and humility, likely will be among the highest-paid in women’s golf through corporate endorsements. Such announcements are expected next week.

Zhang grew up in Irvine, California, and spent two years at Stanford. Her 12 career titles — the last won was the NCAA — broke the record previously held by Tiger Woods, Patrick Rodgers and Maverick McNealy. She tied the Pac-12 record set by Lorena Ochoa at Arizona.

Zhang first reached No. 1 in the women’s amateur ranking in September 2020. She broke Lydia Ko’s record of 130 consecutive weeks at No. 1, and overall record (141 weeks) that was set by Leona Maguire.

Along with the two Opens, the KPMG Women’s PGA at Baltusrol and the Amundi Evian Championship in France, Zhang has accepted invitations to play the Dana Open near Toledo, Ohio, and the Canadian Women’s Open. She could qualify for other LPGA events by finishing in the top 10.

While turning pro, Zhang said she would finish her degree at Stanford.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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Sarah Kellam is a Kentucky native and played collegiate golf at Northern Kentucky University. She currently serves as a Manager of Digital Content and prior to the LPGA, Sarah worked as a freelance content creator.

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In her second appearance, Rose Zhang had a historic weekend at the 2024 Solheim Cup

Sunday was a sigh of relief for the Americans. For the first time in seven years, the U.S. team knocked off the Europeans to win the 2024 Solheim Cup.

There were numerous standouts for the United States at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, including Megan Khang and Virginia native Lauren Coughlin, but none moreso than Rose Zhang, the 21-year-old phenom who went 4-0-0, including a dominating 6-and-4 victory in singles against Carlota Ciganda.

Zhang's second Solheim Cup appearance went a lot better than her first last year in Spain, where she admitted she struggled to get comfortable while going 0-2-1 at Finca Cortesin.

On home soil, she had a historic week.

Zhang is the eighth different player and third different American in Solheim Cup history to finish 4-0-0 or better. The other two Americans to go 4-0-0 are Dottie Pepper (1998) and Morgan Pressel (2011). She is also the first player ever to go 4-0-0 or better and never reach the 17th hole in any match. This week, Zhang led all players by winning 28 holes and only losing eight; that 20+ win/loss hole differential is the most dominant in the last 20 years.

The next best performance over that time is Jessica Korda in 2019, winning 29 holes and losing 14 holes

"It's been absolutely incredible," Zhang said of her week. "I feel like starting off the beginning of the week, I just felt so comfortable with everyone. The whole team has just been -- they've just been so friendly, and everyone has had a good time in the team room, on the golf course. Like Stacy (Lewis) said, it translated over to the golf course.

"I felt a lot more loose than I did last year, and it was good vibes all around."

Khang (3-0-0), Coughlin (3-0-1) and Andrea Lee (2-0-1) were the other Americans to go undefeated. It is the second time the U.S. team had that many undefeated players at one Solheim Cup.

Zhang's dominance was no surprise to U.S. Captain Stacy Lewis, who along with stats guru Justin Ray put together a plan with plenty of data to lead the Americans to victory.

"The golf course was made for you, Rose," Lewis told her star after winning Sunday.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: In her second appearance, Rose Zhang had a historic weekend at the 2024 Solheim Cup