Rose Zhang’s meteoric rise in professional golf has been nothing short of impressive. After turning professional in 2023, she quickly secured two LPGA victories. This included a historic victory at her professional debut in the Mizuho Americas Open. She became the first LPGA player since 1951 to win on debut. However, in 2025, her performance has seen a noticeable decline.

She has currently dropped to 55th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings from her career-high of 12th last year. Her position in the CME points list has also slipped to 80th. Much of this decline comes from her choice to balance her education with her golf career, limiting her appearances on tour.

Zhang’s commitment to completing her communications degree at Stanford has necessitated her absence from several LPGA events, including parts of the Asian Fall Tour. She has herself admitted that continuing on the LPGA Tour is “Quite Painful.“ However, she still wants to continue and prioritize her college over golf.

“I think at the end of the day, it’s something I want to do, it’s something that I want to gain for myself. So I am going back this fall just to go back to school; then I’ll finish up next winter, which is really exciting,” she said at a press conference. One of the most telling signs of her current struggles was her missed cut in 2025

At the Kroger Queen City Championship in Ohio. Despite a promising start with a first-round score of 71, she faltered in the second round with a 73. On the 9th hole, where she made a birdie in the first round, it became a nightmare in the second. She ended up with a double bogey on hole 9, only to complete both rounds at par and miss the cut.

She has acknowledged the difficulty of this balancing act, noting that 2025 has been the first time she has encountered significant struggles in her career. The physical and mental toll of injuries, combined with the time demands of school, has created obstacles that she continues to navigate.

Zhang has also admitted that balancing the two can be challenging if she doesn’t plan her schedule. “It’s a lot of work. I think one mistake I made last year was when I had an off-season and was at school full-time with 20 units. I had a couple of hard classes and lost a lot of sleep,” Zhang admitted during a press conference before the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. For many golfers, it has been essential to leave education in favor of the sport.

Many golf elites, including the likes of Rory McIlroy, Nelly Korda, Tyrrell Hatton, Charley Hull, and Sergio Gracia, have skipped college to focus on golf. On the other hand, golfers like Nick Dunlap, Blades Brown, and Akshay Bhatia left college midway and chose to play the sport they love. On the contrary, Zhang wants to get her college degree, regardless of how difficult it becomes to balance between the two.

“It’s very difficult and I’m not really sure if there is a right option to just turn pro and just play golf or finish my degree. In my opinion, this is a good balance for what I’m striving for. It’s not necessarily the most popular route, but it’s definitely a good route in my eyes,” said Zhang. Her attitude goes on to show that she doesn’t want to leave her studies to focus solely on golf. However, her commitment to college is not the only thing that has affected her performance.

In addition to balancing college, injuries have also disrupted her momentum. Zhang suffered recurring neck spasms that forced her to withdraw from the LPGA’s first major of the year, the Chevron Championship. Later in 2024, a left-hand injury further hampered her form and limited her ability to compete at her usual level.

Once she completes college, Zhang will be able to dedicate more time to her recovery and maintain a consistent playing schedule, allowing her to focus fully on improving her game.

Looking ahead to Rose Zhang’s graduation

While Rose Zhang’s 2025 LPGA season has been marked by challenges, her academic commitments won’t last forever. Upon completing her education, many expect her to perform better. However, she has yet to make any public statements on her future plans.

She is expected to complete her communications degree at Stanford University in the winter term of 2026, specifically by March. Zhang has confirmed she will return to campus in the fall of 2025 to finish her studies. Her priorities over the next few months will remain divided between coursework and limited tournament play.

Once she graduates, Zhang could dedicate herself fully to the LPGA Tour, allowing her to participate in more events and climb back up the rankings. Zhang was once considered a golf prodigy, like Tiger Woods, who could control the courses and build a consistency streak.

Analysts and fans will be watching closely, as the post-graduation stretch could be critical in reestablishing the momentum she showed during her sensational pro debut.