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 the direction of her diploma at Stanford. However in late February, she took a break from her research and made her debut in The Match, taking part in alongside Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, and Lexi Thompson.

A little bit greater than two months later, in her sixth begin since getting back from her temporary 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 pressured her to withdraw.

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

After shaking off a troublesome two days at Lancaster Nation Membership, Zhang sat down with Enjoying Via to debate her busy season and what’s to return, together with one other main and a possible spot within the Olympics.

Picture by Sarah Stier/Getty Photographs

One-on-one with LPGA Tour phenom Rose Zhang

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

Enjoying Via: What did you study your self after your second win in New Jersey just a few weeks in the past?

Rose Zhang: Although I’ll not have had the smoothest of seasons up to now, I simply want to remain resilient, and I’m by no means too far off. Throughout that complete week, I spotted that I may actually grind it out and play the most effective I may when the time got here. In order that gave me loads of confidence in my skills to return down the stretch and attempt to play stable 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 stable. I solely missed a few greens that complete week; I believe I hit 67 [of 72] greens.

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

Picture by Elsa/Getty Photographs

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

Zhang: The course performed very troublesome, and everybody knew it was going to be a tough check. However it was an ideal U.S. Open course. I believe there have been loads 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 better from, and I used to be attempting to work on my recreation as greatest as I may.

However while you’re not on prime of your recreation, it’s very troublesome 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 particular 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 stable par alternatives. I used to be working to save lots of a par or perhaps a bogey for probably the most half.

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

PT: What was it like taking part in with Lexi Thompson in that setting?

Zhang: It was so unimaginable. I used to be so glad 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 all the time been very impressed from a younger age by what she’s performed for the ladies’s recreation.

Being part of that actually made me notice how influential Lexi is and the way unimaginable she is as an individual and as a participant. Everybody ought to rejoice her and what she has performed.

Picture by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Photographs

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 probably the most half, has been fairly robust. Simply normally, on the right way to navigate every thing, and you actually should peak at main championships.

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

However so as to play properly in a serious championship, I must guarantee that every thing I’m doing is stable essentially, after which I am going on the market and attempt to grind it out.

That’s an important factor. Whoever can grind it out probably the most and make the least quantity of errors normally 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 in regards to 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 novel golf course in Pullman, Washington for a Pac-12 Event at Washington State.

PT: Then, in fact, we’ve received the Olympics arising. What are your ideas about presumably taking part in in Paris and representing the USA?

Zhang: It could 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 setting, together with the most effective athletes on the earth, would positively be such a terrific 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 Beginner 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 Beginner Staff Championships. Zhang additionally completed tied atop the person leaderboard.)

Picture by Christian Petersen/Getty Photographs

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

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

And, , we’re faring alongside fairly properly.

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

However it’s been very enjoyable to return to campus and be a full-time pupil alongside all my different mates.

PT: And at last, you’re a massive proponent of USWING sun shades and use them all the time. How do these enable you 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 arduous. Wellness has been an enormous think about guaranteeing that once I’m on the market, I’m not fully melting my eyes. However my coach has positively helped me discover sun shades that permit me to go on the market and carry out the way in which that I wish to carry out whereas defending my eyes. So they assist quite a bit, and it’s been nice to this point.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying Via. Be sure you try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.