ORLANDO, Fla. — Each time younger phenom Rose Zhang speaks publicly, you stroll away much more impressed with who she is.
Zhang is a two-time winner on the LPGA, and but she is barely sufficiently old to drink alcohol. However you’d by no means guess her age primarily based on her maturity, character, and the way she conducts herself general. That’s as a result of she has her priorities straight. She is steadfast in incomes her bachelor’s in communications from Stanford, all whereas taking part in skilled golf.
Is it the preferred route? By no means. Take a look at others, similar to Nick Dunlap, Blades Brown, and Akshay Bhatia, who left college early or skipped school to pursue skilled alternatives. That’s not a knock on these gamers both — no resolution is flawed per se.
“It’s a number of work. I believe one mistake I made final yr was after I had an low season and was in school full-time with 20 items. I had a few exhausting courses and misplaced a number of sleep,” Zhang admitted.
“I didn’t actually care for myself. I used to be making an attempt to follow the identical quantity I used to be on Tour and likewise being at school in that sense, which was rather a lot to load.”
This time, Zhang has centered on the books, prioritizing her research greater than practising. Her general well being has improved, and she will be able to nonetheless get seven to eight hours of sleep per evening. Her schedule even features a class titled “Sleeps and Goals,” however since Zhang has her sleeping below management, she has but to drowse off throughout any of these lectures. Ought to anybody take a catnap mid-class, the professor fires a squirt gun at them in entrance of everybody. The responsible social gathering then has to face up and say, “Drowsiness is crimson alert.” Think about Zhang having to do this — “I don’t suppose I can deal with that strain,” she says.
However she handles the stress of her research at Stanford and being an expert golfer with ease, or so it appears.
“I actually like how my schedule is taking part in out proper now as a result of I’m full-time, 22 items for the winter quarter. Nevertheless it’s solely ten weeks, so the week earlier than Arizona can be my finals week, which is good as a result of I’ll get to complete all the things that I have to after which prioritize that, put that to the aspect, and prepare for your entire season,” Zhang mentioned.
“It’s sort of like me tackling one factor at a time. There’s a number of multi-tasking in terms of golf and efficiency. I simply be sure that I’ve the time to work out, the time to plan out my schedule, and follow with construction. These are all issues I’m determining which can finally, it doesn’t matter what occurs by way of rating, no less than get me organized to the place I wish to be or see what elements I can work on.”
To have that perspective — and self-discipline — as a school senior is outstanding.
“You recognize, lots of people ask me, [why do you do all this?] However I do suppose it’s actually, actually good for my character. Actually good for simply my private improvement basically,” Zhang added.
“It’s very tough and I’m probably not certain if there’s a proper choice to simply flip professional and simply play golf or end my diploma. In my view, it is a good steadiness for what I’m striving for. It’s not essentially the preferred route, but it surely’s undoubtedly a great route in my eyes.”
After this week’s Hilton Grand Holidays Event of Champions in Orlando, Zhang will return to Palo Alto to complete her semester and never play competitively for roughly two months.
Solely 32 LPGA gamers are on this discipline, and the one method to qualify for this occasion is when you have received over the previous two years. That’s why Zhang is taking part in this week; she has shortly develop into an elite participant.
However she didn’t arrive in Central Florida having one of the best type, due to her research.
“[Wednesday] was my sixth time ever practising, second time on a golf course itself,” Zhang mentioned.
“So I’m sort of retaining it low expectations, zero expectations to be honest, and going on the market and making an attempt to study one of the best from my sport. That’s my precedence for this whole week. It’s so nice to have the ability to be with celebrities and have this form of atmosphere. I’m tremendous enthusiastic about it.”
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. Observe him on X @jack_milko.