Rose Zhang is one of the world's leading young golf stars. The Stanford University student had one of the most successful amateur careers in history and at just 20 years of age, has already made her mark in professional golf as well.
As of February 2024, Zhang is ranked No. 21 in the world (Rolex Rankings), which is also the best ranking of her career so far. Rose reached this ranking after finishing T7 in the season's inaugural Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions event.
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However, Rose Zhang is likely to lose a few places in the coming weeks as she is taking time away from competition to concentrate on her studies. Zhang even took a break to participate in Capital One's The Match on Monday (February 26), before taking a statistics exam on Wednesday.
Rose Zhang began her professional career in May 2023 (ranked 257th) and debuted in her new status with victory in her first start, the 2023 Mizuho America's Open. This propelled her to 62nd in the Rolex Rankings.
Zhang moved into the Top 50 of the world rankings after finishing T8 in her second start (2023 KPMG Women's PGA Championship) and into the Top 40 after her third Top 10 in three tournaments as a professional (T9, US Women's Open).
Rose Zhang had to wait 15 weeks to break into the Top 30, which she did after finishing T3 at the Maybank Championship (26th).
A brief overview of Rose Zhang's career
Rose Zhang has played 16 tournaments as a professional, 15 of them on the LPGA Tour and one on the Ladies European Tour. Her results include 13 cuts made, five Top 10s and two other Top 25s, plus a victory on her pro debut.
Zhang was a prodigy in amateur golf, with one of the most successful careers of all time, male or female (including U.S. collegiate golf). These are the triumphs of her amateur career:
- 2016 AJGA - CJGT Junior at Yorba Linda
- 2017 Junior PGA Championship
- 2017 Junior America's Cup
- 2018 ANA Junior Inspiration
- 2018 Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational
- 2018 The PING Invitational
- 2019 Toyota Junior World Cup
- 2019 Swinging Skirts AJGA Invitational
- 2019 Rolex Tournament of Champions
- 2020 U.S. Women's Amateur
- 2020 Rolex Girls Junior Championship
- 2020 The PING Invitational
- 2020 Rolex Tournament of Champions
- 2021 U.S. Girls' Junior
- 2021 Molly Collegiate Invitational
- 2021 Windy City Collegiate Classic
- 2021 Stanford Intercollegiate
- 2021 Spirit International Amateur Championship (individual)
- 2022 NCAA Championship
- 2022 Carmel Cup
- 2022 Stanford Intercollegiate
- 2022 Nanea Pac-12 Preview
- 2023 T. Hession Regional Challenge
- 2023 Juli Inkster Meadow Club Collegiate
- Augusta National Women's Amateur
- Pac-12 Conference Championship (individual)
- NCAA Pullman Regional,
- NCAA Championship
Records and accolades:
- Became the first player to win the NCAA Championship twice.
- Won three times (2020, 2021, 2022) the McCormak Medal, to the top amateur player in the world
- 2022 Annika Award to the top collegiate female player in United States
- Ranked 1st in the World Amateur Golf Ranking from September 2020 until she turned professional.
- 2022 Smyth Salver Award to the best placed amateur at the AIG Women's Open (T28).
- 2019 Pan American Games Gold Medalist
- First player to win in her LPGA Tour pro debut in 72 years
Zhang has played in 12 editions of Major tournaments, making 10 cuts. On two occasions she finished as the lowest amateur (T11, The Chevron Championship 2020 and T28, 2022 AIG Women's Open). She has finished in three top 10s, all since turning professional.
