By Pia Perthen, Sports Editor
Most interested golf fans already know about the fantastic win of twenty-year-old Rose Zhang at the Mizuho Americas Open 2023, a Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tournament, this past weekend. However, do these spectators also know the impressive accomplishments of Zhang as an amateur in the last years that prepared her for this exact moment?
Starting from the beginning, Zhang was born in California, started golfing at the age of nine years old, and graduated from Pacific Academy in Irvine, Calif. in 2021. After high school, she played two years of college golf for Stanford University alongside other college golfers who had already made a name for themselves, including teammate Rachel Heck.
During her two college years, Zhang achieved stellar success. Not only has she received awards like WGCA Player of the Year (2022), WGCA Freshman of the Year (2022), Pac-12 Golfer of the Year (2022), two-time All-Pac-12 First Team (2022, 2023), but she also won the NCAA Individual Championship not only once, but twice in a row (2022 and 2023). This made her the first woman in NCAA women’s golf history to win the individual national championship for a second time in a row. Also impressive is her scoring average: 69.22; level par would be 72 strokes. Further, Zhang had 11 wins out of 19 events, which ties her with Tiger Woods during his college golf career out of 26 events.
“I think she (Zhang) is a huge inspiration and role model for female golfers coming from such a dominant college program and being a huge success in her two years at Stanford,” said Maya Cote, a rising junior and part of the women’s golf team at Saint Leo University.
In June 2022, Zhang became the first student-athlete to sign a name, image, and likeness deal (NIL) with company Adidas. Until recently, student-athletes were prohibited from earning any money through NIL; however, in 2021, the NCCA approved a change in rules regarding NIL. This adjustment enables collegiate student-athletes to make money, for example, through autographs, social media posts, sponsorships, and more. With this opportunity, athletes can also be more present and known; therefore, they can be highly inspiring for other young athletes.
“I believe Zhang can be a role model because she has worked extremely hard to achieve all her titles, as she had an incredible career as an amateur and college golfer, achieving things no other golfer has achieved,” said Ana Guarderas, an incoming sophomore and part of the women’s golf team at Saint Leo.
Apart from college golf, Zhang has had outstanding accomplishments in many large-scale tournaments. In 2019, she was one of the youngest competitors in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which she won in 2023 in a playoff over Jenny Bae on the second playoff hole. Additionally, she has competed in the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open in Great Britain at just 16 years of age. In August 2020, Zhang won the U.S. Women’s Amateur, and, just a month later, she became #1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
“With everything that Zhang accomplished at such a young age, she can be someone to look up to for female college golfers but also for younger females starting to play golf. I think her dedication to what she is doing and all her efforts have brought her success. I hope that Zhang will keep up the great work and that we will see her win on the LPGA again soon!” said Laurence Lamer, a rising junior who plays for the women’s golf team at Saint Leo along with Cote and Guarderas.
Zhang decided to play professionally on May 26, which ultimately meant she could no longer play on a college team; however, leaving her amateur status behind, she is now entitled to earn money from tournaments. This decision has been made publicly amongst other sources on her social media, where Zhang also states she will continue to earn her degree in the years to come.
“I would say she is an extremely hard-working person that has fought and worked for everything she has achieved. She has a great attitude inside the golf course and is determined in everything she does, “said Guarderas.
Just one week after her second NCAA individual championship win, she had her professional debut at the Mizuho Americas Open. She became the first player to win an LPGA tournament in their first start as a professional on the LPGA Tour since 1951. Zhang entered the final round at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey with a two-stroke lead after shooting a six-under par (66) on Saturday.
However, Zhang might have felt her nerves on the last day; she played a 2-over par (74) and had to fight in a sudden-death playoff against Jennifer Kupcho to claim her victory. Overall, Zhang finished the tournament with a score of 9-under par.
Many famous golfers have voiced their thoughts on this incredible achievement. For instance, Tiger Woods congratulated Zhang on Twitter, and Michelle Wie posted Zhang on her personal Instagram page.
“For Zhang to win her LPGA debut is absolutely outstanding, considering the expectations and pressure put on her to come out and be dominant on Tour. Seeing someone around the same age as you go out and do incredible things is always inspiring. She has unbelievable discipline, and her hard work continues to pay off,” said Cote.
As has been proved, Rose Zhang has made a name for herself in the world of golf, is chasing Tiger Woods’ accomplishments, and is a massive inspiration for all golfers.
