Over the past year, golfer Rose Zhang — the so-called “female Tiger Woods” — has been hailed as the next big thing in women’s sports. With her competitive poise, metronomic swing, and near-mythical consistency, some have even called her the “Mozart of golf.” What Zhang’s fans love most about her, however, is who she is outside the game. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately,” the 21-year-old phenom wrote from the Paris Olympics about her commitment to well-roundedness. “Just how important it is to be a good person … how I want to be so much more than just the golfer some people might know me as.”
A native of Southern California, Zhang spent much of her childhood outdoors. “I went to the swimming pool, the basketball court, tennis courts, and I would just play,” she says. Yet when Zhang picked up her first golf club at the age of 9, she knew something was different. From her backyard, she spent hours hitting hundreds of plastic bottle caps that had been collected by her father, Haibin — a Chinese immigrant who worked several jobs — to avoid shattering any nearby windows. Once on the junior circuit, Zhang emerged as a prodigy, seizing tournament after tournament before qualifying for her first U.S. Open at 16 and winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur at 17.
Despite significant pressure to turn professional as a teenager, Zhang made the decision to go to college. As a student at Stanford, she became the highest ranked amateur golfer in the world — a record she held for an unprecedented 141 weeks — all while maintaining a nearly 4.0 GPA. In 2022, she became the first student athlete to sign a deal with Adidas in the wake of new Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules; and in 2023, she captured a second individual NCAA championship, officially surpassing the number of collegiate titles held by another famous golfer from Stanford, Tiger Woods.
Less than a week after her NCAA victory, Zhang announced she was turning pro in May of last year. A week later, she made history by becoming the first woman in 72 years to win her debut on the LPGA Tour when she clinched the Mizuho Americas Open, just days after her 20th birthday. Since then, Zhang has ascended the rankings to No. 9 in the world, transcending the women’s game thanks to appearances in Time’s “Next 100” and this year’s the Match — a TV golf exhibition that has previously featured athletes like Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, and Travis Kelce.
As one of the youngest players on the LPGA tour and one of the highest-ranked players competing at the 2024 Solheim Cup — a biennial contest between the U.S. and Europe, starting this week outside of Washington, D.C. — Zhang has the potential to bring golf to a whole new generation. With the kind of natural star power that the LPGA has been waiting decades for, she continues to draw record numbers of fans, affectionately called “Rosebuds,” as she encourages young girls to take up the game. “At the end of the day, the game is a place for everyone, no matter their age, gender, or size,” she tells the Cut. “That’s what is so special about golf. Everyone can come together and bond, and we can all play the same game and be both happy and frustrated by this little ball.”
You have been a golfer for more than half of your life. What do you love most about the game? What has it meant to you?
The sport has blessed me with so many things — friendships, travel, shared experiences with my family. It has allowed me to challenge myself in ways that I would have never imagined. It’s how I became who I am today, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without the sport.
You took an unconventional path, playing golf in college instead of going pro as you were being pushed to do. How do you think college shaped you as a player?
Growing up, playing junior golf, I never had a single doubt in my mind about going to college. It was always something that I felt was very important, just because I think college is so important to have as a chapter in your life. That said, there was a lot of noise around me. I was making cuts at majors, and I put myself in contention at majors, even when I was an amateur. But I always had that little voice in the back of my head that said, “What if golf being this huge thing in my life becomes my entire world?” Being an athlete, you never know what’s going to happen with injuries or burnout. I knew that being in college would enable me to make mistakes and figure out what I wanted to do.
You have spoken a lot this year about the impossibility of “doing it all.” How has your game changed over the past year?
From a young age, I always had a lot of eyes on me, but in college, I was almost protected. Going out on tour, the noise has definitely hit a lot more. Whenever things get to me, I’ve learned to take a step back and give myself some quiet time and some reflection. It allows me to put things into perspective and just live life a little bit.
Your sport is in the midst of entering a new and exciting phase in its history. What do you say to people who think golf is just a game for rich white dudes?
Well, there was a period of time when it was! Even when I was starting the sport, back in 2012 and 2013, there weren’t a lot of girls around me; and the boys that were playing were from country clubs, or they played because their fathers were playing. But now, we’re entering an era of more women’s sports exposure. There are so many incredible female athletes, and you can see that across all platforms and all sports. Women’s golf is becoming a lot more popular – there’s a lot more TV coverage, so people can really see female golfers do their thing on a weekly basis … I’m so excited that there are so many more people watching us but also starting to play golf, too.
Do you have a pump-up playlist before a big event?
I have a wide variety of music genres that I get into. I either go with some Chinese R&B, or I go into house music, or Christian worship. It really ranges!
What movies have most inspired your golf game?
Obviously, Happy Gilmore. But most of the movies I watch are non-golf-related, and most of them involve mystery or crime. Knives Out is one of my favorites.
What are your golf fashion rules? Hat or visor? Sunglasses or no sunglasses? Pants or skirt?
I definitely wear hats, never visors. I don’t like super-flowy skirts. Flowy skirts are a no-go. Or anything super-frilly. And no high socks!
You are one of the best golfers to follow on Instagram. What is your rule for a great caption?
Short and sweet. And add a couple of emojis.
You have been called the Caitlin Clark of golf and are actually friends with her. Do you have any rules for meeting fellow famous athletes?
I just say be relaxed, be chill. It’s so easy to get starstruck and uptight, but the respect and chillness you can show them is much appreciated.
What is your favorite place to play golf?
I really love Pebble Beach, but I think my favorite place is the course at Stanford. It’s where I get most of my quiet from. It really feels like home.
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