Amateur golf legend Rose Zhang is officially a pro. Here’s how that’s going

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — As Rose Zhang waited to handle the media Tuesday morning at her first “hello, world” press convention as a skilled, the already cramped tent on the finish of the apply vary right here at Liberty National Golf Club started to really feel much more crowded. There had been solely a few reporters in attendance, however LPGA and Liberty National officers had filtered in to listen to Zhang communicate. So, too, had an assortment of different {golfing} notables: Ty Votaw, the previous LPGA commissioner; Joe Louis Barrow Jr., the previous First Tee chief; Anne Walker, Zhang’s golf coach at Stanford University, her younger daughter in tow. In the again row, one other acquainted face: agent Mark Steinberg of Excel Sports, the powerhouse company that represents the likes of Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas, Justin Rose and now…Rose Zhang.

As the house stuffed up, Zhang stood by the doorway in an outfit emblazoned with sufficient sponsors to cowl a inventory automotive: Callaway, Delta, Topgolf, Adidas, East West Bank. The newly minted 20-year-old doesn’t but have a watch deal however that, too, appears imminent given on Tuesday she was carrying a inexperienced pouch in her purse that contained a luxurious timepiece. Moments earlier than taking the stage, Zhang pulled out the watch, slipped it on her proper wrist and tugged up her sleeve.

Pro transfer, one of many first of many to return.

By now, you doubtless know what led Zhang to this buzzy second: a run of dominance just like the novice recreation has not often, if ever, seen. If one way or the other you missed Zhang’s assault on the novice and school ranks during the last three years, permit us to catch you up: 33-month stint because the world’s top-ranked novice; 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion; 2021 U.S. Junior Girls’ champion; 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion; 12 wins in 22 begins at Stanford; first girl in NCAA historical past to win particular person Div. I nationwide championships in consecutive seasons. We may preserve going, nevertheless it’s already beginning to really feel like gloating.

Tiger Woods comparisons usually are reckless, nevertheless it is not hyperbolic to say that not since Woods has such a high-powered novice marched into the skilled recreation. Zhang is that good, even when she’s reluctant to say it. Zhang will attempt to inform you that different junior and school gamers have been higher than her; she’s simply occurs to be actually good managing her recreation. On Tuesday, I requested one other one-time novice sensation — Michelle Wie West — about that sentiment. Wie West all however scoffed at Zhang’s modesty.

“There is no better player than her,” Wie West stated.

“She can handle herself when the pressure is on her,” Wie West continued. “You saw it at ANWA this year and her back-to-back NCAA [titles]. She’s done that with all the eyeballs on her.” And with the extra wrinkle of getting to ship for sponsors. “The NIL landscape is a different story than before,” Wie West stated. “I mean, she’s already living a life very similar to a professional golfer.”

That could also be so, however till this week, when Zhang competed towards the professionals — as she has carried out in eight main championships, her greatest end, a T11, coming on the 2020 Chevron — an (a) adopted her identify on the tee sheet. On Thursday, when she tees off within the  first spherical of the Mizuho Americas Open, she is going to compete for the primary time as a skilled.  

When Zhang entered Stanford, she had no imaginative and prescient for her path to the professional recreation, not to mention that her journey would start at a first-time LPGA occasion hosted by her fellow Cardinal, Wie West. Zhang says she wasn’t positive if she’d keep at Stanford for one yr, or two or 4. “But one thing is for sure: I wanted to finish my degree,” she stated Tuesday of her communications main. “The second factor was I wanted to see how well I played in college golf. I believe that if you’re not able to conquer one stage, then you won’t be able to go on to the next one and say that it’s time for the next step.”

By the tip of her sophomore yr, which culminated along with her win on the NCAA championships in Scottsdale, Ariz., final week, Zhang hadn’t simply conquered her competitors, she had capped arguably the best college-golf profession ever. As for her diploma, she’ll proceed to chase that, too, squeezing in credit as time permits, simply as Wie West did. “Stanford is not exactly an easy place for academics,” she stated. “I would like to take classes in the fall; winter is our off-season I guess in golf, so I’ll be able to take more classes there; and then spring quarter is kind of a speed run, so I’ll take a leave of absence and continue that route until I graduate.”

On Tuesday, I requested Zhang to establish her hardest class. “CS-106A,” she stated, referring to a computer-science course. “Currently and still trying to grind in that class. It’s been a little unfortunate for me. I’m not a CS major. Will never code again after this class.”

On the LPGA, the place she is going to play this season on sponsor’s exemptions with hopes of incomes her tour card for 2024, Zhang may have totally different sorts of puzzles to resolve — particularly, stiffer competitors week in and week out; more durable course setups (not the computer-science type); and the grind of a heavy journey schedule. “I feel like right now the mindset is also very simple,” she stated. “Try to adjust as much as possible to tour life, and figure out what it means to be a professional, what I want to do out here.”  

This week that has meant enjoying an occasion that’s new not solely to Zhang but in addition to all the tour. The Mizuho match is distinctive each for its setting reverse Lower Manhattan and its format. In a first for the LPGA tour, 24 women from the American Junior Golf Association will play alongside the professionals, right through the ultimate spherical. On Tuesday, the kids could possibly be seen banging balls on the vary subsequent to main winners.

“It’s actually kind of incredible to see,” Zhang stated. “I don’t know if it has anything to do with just the AJGA, but I came out here on Sunday afternoon and I saw so many of my friends that I grew up with from junior golf. I saw Lucy [Li], Megha [Ganne], my teammate, Alexa Pano, all these people I grew up with. I just immediately saw them, and it’s been a really relieving moment, I guess, because everyone on Tour is kind of the people that I’ve played junior golf with. … I have people who are familiar faces to me, and I’ll be able to kind of grow alongside them and also just catch up with.”

Just like previous instances, proper? Well, yeah, kind of. But once you’re a participant of Zhang’s pedigree, the professional recreation additionally comes with a slate of different duties, perks and alternatives.

After her press convention, I requested Zhang about that watch she had slipped on. She laughed and appeared virtually embarrassed that I had seen. “I never really thought of myself as, oh, coming down 18, you would have to put on a watch or some other kind of gadget before press conferences and interviews,” she stated. “But this is also what I’ve seen ever since I was a young kid, and now that I’m in these shoes, it’s definitely something that I’m going to enjoy.”

Alan Bastable

Golf.com Editor

As GOLF.com’s govt editor, Bastable is chargeable for the editorial route and voice of one of many recreation’s most revered and extremely trafficked information and repair websites. He wears many hats — modifying, writing, ideating, growing, daydreaming of sooner or later breaking 80 — and feels privileged to work with such an insanely gifted and hardworking group of writers, editors and producers. Before grabbing the reins at GOLF.com, he was the options editor at GOLF Magazine. A graduate of the University of Richmond and the Columbia School of Journalism, he lives in New Jersey along with his spouse and foursome of youngsters.