JERSEY CITY, New Jersey – Seconds before Rose Zhang was scheduled to step onto the dais for her first press conference as a professional, Anne Walker’s 8-year-old daughter walked up to give Zhang a small gift. Walker smiled as she recalled the way Zhang patiently interacted with her Emma, as in-the-moment and genuine as one could possibly be on the cusp of a hello-world splash.
“I think her humility is going to be her super power out here,” said Walker, who guided Zhang for two years at Stanford, where her 12 titles included back-to-back national championships.
It’s fitting that Zhang makes her professional debut at the Mizuho Americas Open, where Liberty National’s iconic views of the New York City skyline and Statue of Liberty serve as a reminder of how badly the LPGA needs an American superstar. LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan was there to greet Zhang as she left the press tent.
Zhang told the world last Friday of her plans to turn professional, but those in her inner-circle have known for some time. Zhang said there was a lot of internal debate about how to tell her teammates, but she knew they’d be supportive of her decision. The hard part, she said, was coming to terms with the fact that her idyllic college life wouldn’t last forever.
“Just understanding what my dynamic would be like in the future kind of broke my heart a little bit,” she said. “It’s like breaking up with 10 people instead of one guy.”
As Zhang took questions from the media, Tiger Woods’ longtime agent Mark Steinberg was on hand. Excel Sports Management represented Zhang for her NIL contracts and will continue on for the next chapter, with Excel vice president Kevin Hopkins serving as her agent. Zhang will continue to be sponsored by Callaway and Adidas. On Tuesday, she announced the addition of Delta, East West Bank and Uswing Mojing. Zhang wore a Rolex watch during her press conference, though nothing official has been said. She was also sponsored by Beats by Dre in college.
Zhang’s father, Henry, will travel with her this summer as she has eight LPGA starts already on the docket, including four majors. When it comes to the expectations of others, Zhang operates under the mindset that embracing works better than blocking out.
“I would say, you know, I take it as a compliment,” said Zhang. “They think I have the ability to go out and there and win every single time, so might as well just try and see if I can live up to those expectations.”
That was college and amateur though, and Zhang is as aware as anyone that the LPGA is a different level. There will be an adjustment period. Tournament host Michelle Wie West joked that Zhang was ranked No. 1 in the world more weeks than her entire amateur career.
“I’m being very realistic here,” said Zhang. “I believe that the collegiate level is still going to be different than what the LPGA level is. No doubt I’ll be able to adjust my game to where I’m able to win, but, as of now, I don’t know what it takes.”
Walker looks back to Zhang’s freshman year when she only won four times. There was an adjustment period for Zhang, who doubled her win count as a sophomore and cut almost a full stroke off her NCAA-record scoring average.
“That’s your own internal motivation to get better,” said Walker. “That, to me, is just flabbergasting.”
It’s the same drive that will compel Zhang to finish her degree at Stanford while competing on the LPGA. She has yet to move out of her dorm because after this week’s debut, she still has three finals left to take.
Zhang has talked to Wie West about what it takes to finish at degree at Stanford while competing on the LPGA.
Wie West said on Tuesday that she was “nervous as hell” all four rounds of her pro debut in 2005 at the Samsung World Championship. Said she almost topped her first tee shot.
“I played great, came in fourth,” said Wie West. “I don’t know if anyone remembers that. It’s what happened after that that made more the news.”
Wie West, of course, is referring to the disqualification that followed after a reporter informed officials a day later that Wie West had taken a questionable drop.
“I still think to this day that I did nothing wrong,” she said. “I dropped it in the right place. You know, whole different story. But you live and you learn. Things happen for a reason.”
When Zhang was asked how she’s able to cope with heaps of pressure and expectation, she pointed to what she called her “fundamental core.”
“Growing up my family and the people around me have given me high expectations for what I should do as a person, not just as a competitor or a golf player,” said Zhang, “so I kind of fall back towards those morals and who I am as an individual.
“That allows me to go out there on the golf course and think, ‘OK, today is another round of golf. I’m going to need to do what I need to do on the golf course. If it doesn’t work out, I still have a lot of things going for me in life.’ ”
It’s a wise-beyond-her-years mentality that will serve Zhang well on a global tour that’s a grind even for the most successful.
What is the fundamental core of Rose Zhang?
“I know it’s broad and it’s a big word, but it’s good,” said Walker. “It’s just good.”
