Rose Zhang talks LPGA, Olympics, U.S. Open misstep in unique Q&A

Rose Zhang has had fairly a season.

It started with a prime 10 end on the Hilton Grand Holidays Event of Champions, after which she took a while off to work in direction of her diploma at Stanford. However in late February, she took a break from her research and made her debut in The Match, enjoying alongside Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, and Lexi Thompson.

A bit greater than two months later, in her sixth begin since coming back from her transient hiatus, Zhang received the Cognizant Founders Cup in New Jersey, her second LPGA win. She then set her sights on Liberty Nationwide, the place she received the Mizuho Americas Open in her professional debut a 12 months in the past, however an sickness compelled her to withdraw.

However Zhang then struggled within the U.S. Girls’s Open and missed the reduce, her subsequent and most up-to-date begin.

After shaking off a tricky two days at Lancaster Nation Membership, Zhang sat down with Taking part in By means of to debate her busy season and what’s to come back, together with one other main and a possible spot within the Olympics.

Photograph by Sarah Stier/Getty Photos

One-on-one with LPGA Tour phenom Rose Zhang

(Editor’s Notice: This dialog has been barely edited and modified for readability and readability.)

Taking part in By means of: What did you study your self after your second win in New Jersey just a few weeks in the past?

Rose Zhang: Regardless that I’ll not have had the smoothest of seasons to this point, I simply want to remain resilient, and I’m by no means too far off. Throughout that complete week, I noticed that I may actually grind it out and play the very best I may when the time got here. In order that gave me a variety of confidence in my talents to come back down the stretch and attempt to play strong golf.

PT: Going again to that week, what do you assume was the strongest a part of your recreation?

Zhang: It needed to be my iron play. However from tee to inexperienced, I used to be simply very strong. I solely missed a few greens that complete week; I believe I hit 67 [of 72] greens.

On the identical time, my putter, with who I’ve had a love-hate relationship with, undoubtedly got here out for me that week. So, I used to be in a position to actually capitalize due to that.

Photograph by Elsa/Getty Photos

PT: After which your subsequent begin got here at Lancaster. What went unsuitable that week? Was it the course?

Zhang: The course performed very tough, and everybody knew it was going to be a tough take a look at. Nevertheless it was an ideal U.S. Open course. I believe there have been a variety of issues that occurred in between [my win in New Jersey and the U.S. Women’s Open] that I used to be attempting to get well from, and I used to be attempting to work on my recreation as finest as I may.

However whenever you’re not on prime of your recreation, it’s very tough to have the ability to navigate round these forms of golf programs.

In order that was the primary battle, simply attempting to get myself again and actually grind it out.

PT: Was there a selected a part of your recreation that deserted you in Lancaster?

Zhang: I wasn’t in a position to get myself in shut positions for birdie alternatives and even strong par alternatives. I used to be working to avoid wasting a par or perhaps a bogey for essentially the most half.

On the identical time, my putter let me down just a few occasions, particularly once I wanted it essentially the most. So, it was simply these issues that actually shifted the momentum of my golf recreation.

PT: What was it like enjoying with Lexi Thompson in that atmosphere?

Zhang: It was so unbelievable. I used to be so joyful to have the ability to be part of that, particularly at her final U.S. Girls’s Open, the place she introduced her retirement. There was a lot assist for her. I’ve at all times been very impressed from a younger age by what she’s completed for the ladies’s recreation.

Being part of that actually made me understand how influential Lexi is and the way unbelievable she is as an individual and as a participant. Everybody ought to have fun her and what she has completed.

Photograph by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Photos

PT: What do you assume must go best for you on the KPMG Girls’s PGA Championship in a few weeks?

Zhang: I believe this season, for essentially the most half, has been fairly powerful. Simply basically, on how you can navigate every part, and you actually should peak at main championships.

However I believe going into the following main, it’s a clear slate. I’m not excited about something an excessive amount of truthfully. I’ve nothing to show to anybody however I do wish to try to play the very best that I can for myself. I’ve individuals round me who assist me, too. In order that’s the primary precedence.

However as a way to play properly in a significant championship, I must ensure that every part I’m doing is strong basically, after which I am going on the market and attempt to grind it out.

That’s an important factor. Whoever can grind it out essentially the most and make the least quantity of errors often comes out on prime of the leaderboards.

PT: Have you ever ever performed Sahalee earlier than?

Zhang: No I haven’t.

PT: What have you ever heard concerning the course?

Zhang: I simply understand it’s actually tight, and it’s very tree-lined, however aside from that, that’s about it. I’ve solely performed in Washington as soon as, however that was at a little bit of a singular golf course in Pullman, Washington for a Pac-12 Event at Washington State.

PT: Then, in fact, we’ve acquired the Olympics developing. What are your ideas about probably enjoying in Paris and representing the USA?

Zhang: It might be an enormous honor and so cool to signify my nation. I’ve watched the Olympics ever since I used to be youthful, actually since I used to be 5. So to be in that atmosphere, together with the very best athletes on the earth, would undoubtedly be such an important expertise.

PT: And have you ever heard something about that golf course as properly? Le Golf Nationwide in Paris. Have you ever had an opportunity to play that one, too?

Zhang: I really performed the World Newbie at Le Golf Nationwide. So I do know the course very properly.

(Zhang, together with Rachel Heck and Rachel Kuehn, earned a silver medal for the USA on the 2022 World Newbie Workforce Championships. Zhang additionally completed tied atop the person leaderboard.)

Photograph by Christian Petersen/Getty Photos

PT: How shut are you to incomes your diploma from Stanford? And the way do you discover the time to stability it?

Zhang: So, I’m at the moment on a depart of absence as a result of I’m prioritizing a little bit bit extra on golf this season. However I shall be going again to Stanford for extra coursework subsequent winter, and I plan on doing that rotational schedule for the following two years, probably three.

And, you already know, we’re faring alongside fairly properly.

It’s been tough to stability a little bit bit simply since you do should sacrifice a little bit bit extra sleep time or relaxation time, I suppose.

Nevertheless it’s been very enjoyable to return to campus and be a full-time scholar alongside all my different associates.

PT: And eventually, you’re a huge proponent of USWING sun shades and use them the entire time. How do these assist you to on the course?

Zhang: They’ve been an enormous addition to my golf recreation and the way I spend my time on the golf course.

I grew up in Southern California and now reside in Las Vegas, so when the solar hits, it hits fairly laborious. Wellness has been an enormous think about guaranteeing that once I’m on the market, I’m not utterly melting my eyes. However my coach has undoubtedly helped me discover sun shades that permit me to go on the market and carry out the best way that I wish to carry out whereas defending my eyes. So they assist lots, and it’s been nice to date.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Make sure to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.