The thing about Rose Zhang is—she never really looked like she was trying. Even when she was dominating amateur circuits or juggling Stanford deadlines between LPGA tees, there was always this quiet ease about her. The pressure was just background noise, and the wins and accolades were incidental. Even as she passed Tiger Woods in the Stanford record books, she has been treading her path silently. But since turning pro in 2023, she has realized how demanding the LPGA can be, and after a time, it does exact a toll.

“I don’t have a lot of weeks in between tournaments anymore. I’m always playing and on the go,” Zhang mentioned in an interview with InsideHook in 2023. As it turns out, balancing pro golf and her academic pursuits hasn’t been an easy task for the 21-year-old. Last season, as cameras followed her crisp iron shots and signature composure, few noticed the moments between swings—when she’d stretch her neck or flex her wrist, subtly, almost instinctively. Those tiny gestures told a different story, one that’s now come into full view.

The pressure to perform on the golf course has taken a toll, and a nagging neck injury has forced her to take a step back. She recently announced on Instagram that she will be pulling out of this week’s JM Eagle LA Championship to focus on her recovery. “Safe to say, things haven’t been too hot for me in the golf realm, and I found myself struggling to compete in high spirits due to an injury. Just remember, this isn’t a sob story😂,” she wrote at the start of a lengthy post.

“While this period is unique and frustrating, I find great optimism in getting better and working hard to compete at the highest level. Thank you so so much to my team, sponsors, family, and friends for supporting me in this process. It’s going to be a long and patient ride, but it’s always a blessing to do what I do and have what I have. That being said, I will be pulling out of the JM Eagle event in LA to help aid my recovery. Hope to see y’all soon,” she added. Competing on the tour while also pursuing her communications degree at Stanford University hasn’t been without its hurdles.

Zhang has had to skip tournaments, including her title defense at the Founders Cup, and miss the LPGA’s Asian swing. In 2023, while talking about the change the increased schedule has had on her body, Zhang mentioned how it has taken a physical toll.

“The swing does a lot. The body isn’t really built to be rotating so much and to be taking so much impact. The muscles tend to become really tight. Posture becomes really tight. A lot of people have lower back issues, but it’s usually muscles in the neck and the upper body for me. They get pretty locked up, and understanding how to relieve yourself after that is important,” she said.

Even though Zhang didn’t specify the nature of the injury on this occasion, after she withdrew from two matches during pool play at last week’s T-Mobile Match-Play, broadcasters suggested it appeared to be an upper-body issue, likely affecting the shoulders or higher, and Zhang clarified the same later.

“I had a problem last week and then it like just extended to this week,” said Zhang after she halved a match against Nataliya Guseva at Shadow Creek, “and my neck problems kind of get pretty bad.”  Zhang began her season in January at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, competing during Stanford’s winter quarter.

She opted out of the LPGA’s spring Asian swing to focus on her studies, then returned to competition in late March at the Ford Championship, where she missed the cut after shooting rounds of 73 and 70. As Zhang navigates this difficult time, her faith provides comfort and guidance.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope,” she quoted from Romans 5:1-4, reminding herself that challenges can be growth opportunities. And well, whatever comes her way, Zhang can be assured that her fans and fellow golfers are always there for her.

Pros and netizens shower support on Rose Zhang amid her latest withdrawal

The news of Zhang’s withdrawal from the JM Eagle Championship comes ahead of the LPGA’s first major. While she will miss the California event scheduled from April 17-20, her status for the Chevron Championship, April 24-27, remains uncertain. However, it is possible that he gets to see Zhang in action at The Club at Carlton Woods in the Woodlands, Texas, in two weeks. Meanwhile, her IG post drew support from fellow pros and fans.

Let’s start off strong with what LPGA Pro Jeeno Thitikul commented, “Always be here🙌❤️”, while another LPGA golfer, Gina Kim, wrote, “You got this Rosie! Keep fighting.” And fighting is exactly what Rose Zhang has been doing since last year. Earlier this year, she opened up about her unique approach to balancing golf and academics. Unlike last year’s grueling schedule, which saw her taking 20 units of classes at Stanford while maintaining her usual practice routine, Zhang has taken a more relaxed approach this time around.

“I didn’t really take care of myself,” Zhang said, reflecting on her previous year’s schedule, which left her losing sleep over challenging classes. This time, she’s prioritizing sleep and self-care, even taking a class on sleep to learn more about its importance. “You get bonus points if you fall asleep in class,” Zhang joked about her sleep class, where students are playfully “squirted” with a water gun if they doze off.

One fan said, “Hope you recover quickly and safely ❤️”, while the other said, “You got this, Rosie 🌹 heal up, champ!” Well, healing is exactly what Zhang needs right now. Just last month, Zhang revealed the struggles she’s faced with a wrist injury she’s been playing through since 2020, a surprising admission given her impressive array of achievements, including winning the US Women’s Amateur and becoming the World No. 1 Amateur.

“I was just not being smart,” Zhang acknowledged, explaining that she sustained the injury by practicing extensively on thin mats in her parents’ garage as a junior in high school. “There were no classes either. It was online. I was a junior in high school. I had nothing better to do. Not good.” To manage the pain, she would take four Advils daily, but eventually developed wrist impingement, which caught up with her. “It didn’t really do well with my left wrist. It seemed like I got tendinitis, and then it became wrist impingement,” she said.

One fan commented something that perhaps everyone was thinking while reading Zhang’s post, “Praying for you! 🙏🏻” And with her latest withdrawal from the upcoming tournament, the golfer has made it clear that her health is her priority right now. What are your thoughts on Zhang’s latest decision? Let us know in the comment section below!