Golf fans know how many great athletes and stories there are on the LPGA Tour, but it’s affirming to see publications that don’t typically cover golf highlight some of the best players in the world. Elite Daily, an online news and lifestyle publication, has released a list of athletes selected for their Gen Z Class of 2026. Among basketball players and surfers, LPGA winner Rose Zhang has been featured.
In the Elite Daily’s story, Zhang’s decision to pursue a college education was highlighted. As an elite amateur, Zhang had the choice to either remain an amateur and play in college or turn pro as a teenager. She chose the former and attended Stanford University. She credits a conversation with Michelle Wie West as helping her make the call.
“[Michelle] was like, ‘I played professionally and finished my degree. I don’t see why you can’t,’” Zhang said in the Elite Daily story. “That was the main aha moment of realizing I was going to turn pro and still come back to school.”
Zhang played two seasons for Stanford University and turned pro in 2023 after winning her second consecutive individual NCAA title. A month after turning pro, she won her first professional start, the Mizuho Americas Open. Fittingly, the event is hosted by Wie West.
While playing on tour, Zhang has been working on her degree in communications. She’s on track to graduate in the spring of 2026. The balance of an education from an elite institution, while competing against the best golfers in the world, hasn’t been easy. But for Zhang, it’s been worth it.
“It’s a very contested opinion to be able to do those things simultaneously, and I’m really excited to see light at the end of the tunnel,” Zhang said in the article.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
