At just age 20, Rose Zhang has already ensured her name will be written in golf’s history books for years to come.
Just last weekend, Zhang became the first woman to win on her first professional start since Beverly Hanson in 1951. In doing so, she clinched her maiden title faster than Annika Sorenstam (who needed 34 starts), Lorena Ochoa (30), Nancy Lopez and Lydia Ko (10 apiece) and even Tiger Woods (five).
But there was no wild party. Zhang was straight on a flight back to Stanford to see out her Sophomore year with school still a priority for the collegiate star, no matter how big the victory on the course.
However, it’s been clear that since picking up a club for the first time at age nine, the 20-year-old prodigy from Orange County has been destined for big things on the fairways.
Here, DailyMail.com takes a closer look at the making of the champion, from hitting hundreds of balls at a makeshift driving range to her professional breakthrough.
At just age 20, Rose Zhang has already ensured her name will be written in golf’s history books
A GOLFING PRODIGY
Zhang may be golf’s biggest rising star currently and destined to be one of the biggest names on the LPGA Tour but she came from humble beginnings, according to her brother.
Zhang’s mom, Li Cai, and her dad, Haibin Zhang, are from Shenyang – a city of 8 million in China, to the north west of Beijing.
The couple married in China and had Rose’s older brother Bill in 1993 before moving to the United States in 2001, according to The Athletic.
The family settled in a small apartment in Arcadia, California, reportedly renting out a room to make ends meet and when they had Zhang in 2003, she slept in the main bedroom with her parents.
‘Humble beginnings,’ Bill, 30, told the publication. ‘It was different than the immigration that we see now, where you have, like, a rich generation that’s coming, that made a lot of money overseas, and they kind of come over here for a new life.’
The family moved to Irvine, about 50 miles south of Arcadia, in 2008, which is where Rose first got into the swing of things.
She picked up a club for the first time aged nine – one of her dad’s to be precise.
He was right-handed and she was left-handed but even that wasn’t going to hold the prodigy back.
The golf prodigy was born in Arcadia, California in 2003 to Chinese parents
The California native picked up a club for the first time aged 9 – one of her dad’s to be precise
Haibin took Zhang to a dirt pasture, cleared for new development, near to their home and had her hitting balls.
Zhang, already an athletic child, reportedly playing tennis, basketball and a bit of soccer, was a natural, hitting up to 500 or 600 balls, one after another, all in a straight line.
She and her dad would then painstakingly handpick every single ball.
From there, Zhang was on a never-ending upwards trajectory. A month after swinging a club for the first time, she played her first nine holes. The following month, she played her first tournament with a $200 seven-club set. Three months later she clinched her first ever win. The list is endless.
Around age 11, she began working with renowned teaching pro George Pinnell, truly kickstarting her journey.
She has been on an upwards trajectory ever since, playing her first tournament a month later
NOT YOUR AVERAGE COLLEGE LIFE
And what a journey it has been.
Zhang now attends Stanford where she is a member of the college’s golf team and has brought them great success.
She spent a record 141 weeks as the world’s top-ranked amateur golfer, winning the US Women’s Amateur in 2020, the US Girls’ Junior in 2021 and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April.
She’s also recorded a school-record 12 victories in 20 starts at Stanford, becoming the first ever woman to win multiple individual national college championships as a Card. The record even tops Tiger Woods’ 11-for-26 mark during his time at Stanford.
But unlike other college athletes, such as the football or basketball players, Rose isn’t throwing wild parties to go with her wild achievements.
She reportedly attended one party at Stanford but lasted all of 30 seconds before leaving and has never had a drink.
She has yet to declare a major, reported taking classes ranging from Mandarin, which she speaks fluently but could not read and write, according to The Athletic, to coding, which has seemingly put her off computer programing for life.
Zhang attends Stanford (pictured celebrating with teammates after after winning the NCAA)
This year, the rising star captured her second straight NCAA individual title
Zhang hugs former Secretary of State and current director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford Condoleezza Rice
PRAISE FROM THE GREATS
If Woods is upset about Zhang toppling his records, he isn’t showing it. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
The GOAT himself was full of praise for Rose after her maiden LPGA win on Twitter. ‘Incredible few weeks for Rose Zhang, defends her NCAA title and then wins in her Pro debut,’ he wrote.
Zhang previously caught the attention of the legend during his Masters prep. A day after she won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the only trophy missing from her cabinet until that point, Zhang stayed at Augusta to watch the practice rounds of men’s golf’s biggest stars, most notably Tiger.
Zhang secured a prime seat at the back of the 12th tee alongside friend and fellow NCAA champion Rachel Heck and waited for Woods, who was playing alongside Rory McIlroy and Fred Couples the Monday before The Masters.
McIlroy spotted her first, nudging Woods to let him know a fellow Cardinal was in the crowd with the duo and Couples making their way over to greet her.
‘I got to shake hands with Rory and Tiger,’ said Zhang with a wide smile. ‘And then Fred Couples came up and had me stand up. I was like, “Wow, I was really being put on the spot.”‘
Tiger Woods paused his Masters practice round to greet Zhang and teammate Rachel Heck
Fred Couples also speaks with Zhang on the Monday before the major championship
DEALS KEEP ROLLING IN
Her incredible winning ways have drawn the attention of not only the sport’s biggest stars, but also its biggest brands.
Zhang incredibly joined the Callaway family at age 13 before signing an NIL deal with the golf equipment giant over a year ago.
And that’s not where the NIL deals end. She’s amassed a growing portfolio of sponsors that includes Adidas, Beats by Dre, Delta and Rolex.
While all the fuss is made over the football or basketball college players and their NIL deals, Rose has just sat back and let them roll in.
Her incredible winning ways have also drawn the attention of the sport’s biggest brands
The 20-year-old won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April
WHAT’S NEXT?
Zhang has enjoyed a whirlwind fortnight capping her Stanford career with an unprecedented second NCAA title, ringing in her 20th birthday, entering the professional ranks and immediately winning her first LPGA event.
It’s seems impossible that she could possibly top it but undoubtedly she’ll find away. But it’s back to reality first.
Straight after her pro debut, she was back on a plane to Palo Alto for three more finals exams, moving out of her on-campus dorm and rounding off her Sophomore year.
But closing the book on this year, doesn’t mean the end of her college story. Despite, skyrocketing from No 482 to No 62 in the world rankings, Zhang intends to impressively continue studying and getting her degree, while playing on the professional circuit.
The plan is reportedly for her dad to travel to every tournament to be with her, while Jason Gilroyed, former caddie to two-time major winner Minjee Lee, will be on the bag.
Zhang has a bright future, likely representing the US at the Solheim Cup and Olympics
Her next appearance will be at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol in New Jersey followed by a July trip to Pebble Beach for the Women’s US Open.
From there the sky’s the limit. There’s no doubt Rose would have had a notable pair of eyes on her at Liberty National and they’ll carry on monitoring her with a view to Andalusia, Spain in September.
Rose is likely to be on the radar of Team USA captain Stacy Lewis for the Solheim Cup if she continues her impressive journey.
A spot at next year’s Olympics in Paris is also on the cards. And why stop there? Many probably already have her pegged for major contention too.