Rose Zhang Addresses ‘Highs and Lows’ of LPGA Career as Stanford Life Gets Hectic

2025 was an unexpected hurdle for Rose Zhang. This year, the 22-year-old had to grind through several setbacks she’d never really faced before. The crushing weight of school on her back, as well as a nagging neck injury, impacted most, if not all her performances this season. After a close finish at the FM Championship, the Californian finally opened up about her experience.

Zhang, taking to Instagram, shared her true feelings about her time at TPC Boston. “Grateful 💕biggest thank yous to everyone who keep supporting me through all the highs and lows, I appreciate every bit of it 🥹🥰”

Indeed, the four rounds at TPC Boston were quite dramatic, per se. Zhang opened with a steady 2-under 70, then lit up the course in round two with an 8-under 64. That included eight birdies and a weather delay restart that put her composure to the test. A 67 on Saturday kept her in the competition, but by Sunday, the story changed completely. An even-par 72, capped by a costly double bogey at the 14th, and missed birdies left her tied for fifth. It wasn’t the win she would have wanted, but it was definitely the most encouraging one since returning from injury.

“I think now it’s… as simple as it is, sticking to the process and making sure you’re getting little bits of positivity in there. It’s something that’s kind of new to me, but I feel like I’ve been at a really good trajectory and I’ll be able to keep building from there,” she had said after the tournament.

Zhang has been one of the most talented amateur golfers in the last few years. Stacking up several victories back-to-back at Stanford, and a history-making pro debut win in 2023, it looked like she was up for a smooth ride. Her 2024 run led to five top-10 finishes, including her victory at the Cognizant Founder’s Cup and her T8 finish at the Paris Olympics. However, her 2025 falls in total contrast with that.

Zhang wrapped up her winter quarter at Stanford on March 14, finally closing in on a Communications degree she’s determined to finish. But the heavy 22-credit load left its scars. Not long after she returned to the LPGA at the Ford Championship, neck spasms forced her to the sidelines again. When she came back, it was straight into the majors, which obviously was a tough ground to start with. The results reflected the same.

She missed cuts at the US Women’s Open and AIG Women’s Open, and she secured a 73rd at the KPMG Women’s PGA and a T35 at the Amundi Evian. Prior to the FM Championship, she had missed the cut by two strokes at the CPKC Women’s Open in Canada.

Her perspective, though, has been surprisingly steady for someone who burst onto the pro scene like a comet in 2023. “Sometimes it gets discouraging, but I feel like with tough stretches, there is still a lot of positivity that goes on.”

The 22-year-old has called this the first “hard struggle bus” of her career, a reminder that success can raise expectations to impossible levels. Yet she’s also quick to acknowledge the balance she’s trying to strike: finishing her degree, managing her body, and keeping her love for the game intact. “It hasn’t been very easy, but it’s something that I would do all over again, even though it’s quite painful.”

Zhang didn’t walk away with a trophy in Massachusetts, but she definitely walked away with renewed confidence and grace. Celebrating the result, she added on the Instagram post celebrating the champion Miranda Wang, “Huge congrats to @mirandaxy11 for the most incredible win! I’m also a first timer at popping champagne 😅🍾 “ The Chinese golfer clinched her maiden win after just turning pro this year, and interestingly, she and Zhang go way back.

Rose Zhang and Miranda Wang’s bond shines in Boston

When Rose Zhang and Miranda Wang teed off together in the final round at TPC Boston, it wasn’t just another Sunday pairing. It was the first time two longtime friends got to share an LPGA stage. Their connections stretch back to junior golf, where they first crossed paths. With their wins during the college years — Wang leading Duke and Zhang leading Stanford to NCAA Championships — their bond deepened. After turning professionals, both settled in Las Vegas, and their friendship gained a new depth.

This camaraderie was on full display during the FM Championship. “We always want to play together, have fun, or eat together, but it’s a lot of travel for us…So I’m happy we get to play together out here this week,” Wang said as per GolfWeek.  When she closed out her first LPGA victory, Zhang was one of the first to celebrate the moment. With a champagne bottle in hand, she poured the bubbly liquid on the new TPC Boston queen, a snapshot she shared on her Instagram post.