Breaking a 55-Day Hiatus, Rose Zhang Opens Up on Deprioritizing Her LPGA Career for a ‘Stable’ Life

Rose Zhang left Stanford in 2023 to join the LPGA Tour but still wanted to finish up her communications degree. So, for the last couple of years, she has been taking classes here and there. More like whenever she has time to spare throughout her busy life competing on the Tour. In 2024, Zhang played in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, and then took a break for school until the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship in March. This decision to take a break comes from a place of feeling overwhelmed.

“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. “I didn’t really take care of myself. I was trying to practice the same amount I was on Tour and also being in school in that sense, which was a lot to load,” Zhang revealed earlier this year. For this year too, her plan was the same.

“I really like how my schedule is playing out right now because I’m full-time, 22 units for the winter quarter. But it’s only ten weeks, so the week before Arizona would be my finals week, which is nice because I’ll get to finish everything that I need to and then prioritize that, put that to the side, and get ready for the entire season.” Now, she’s back in Arizona for the 2025 Ford Championship, having completed her winter quarter at Stanford. She comes with a refreshed perspective on balancing education and golf.

Zhang prioritized stability and balance during her hiatus

Rose Zhang made a conscious decision to focus entirely on her education for the second consecutive year during her recent 10-week break from professional golf. “I decided to use this winter quarter to just be a student,” Zhang explained during a press conference at the Ford Championship. Her approach differed significantly from previous attempts to juggle both worlds. “Last quarter I felt how difficult it was going through the season and maintaining just my energy and my stability in the things that I was doing,” she admitted, highlighting the toll that the dual focus took on her well-being.

This winter, Zhang embraced a heavier course load of 22 units, including classes on deliberative democracy, Hebrew-Jewish literature, sleep and dreams, politics of algorithms, and science, tech, society. The schedule was demanding, but it provided the stability she was seeking. “I was sitting through lectures, eight hours of lecture every Thursday and Tuesday. I had pop quizzes for some of my classes. That is honestly terrible,” she confessed, adding that “If I was a student-athlete I would be missing all these classes and I would probably have zeroes on all my pop quizzes.” This candid assessment reveals why a complete break from competition was necessary for her academic success.

Despite the academic rigor, Zhang found value in stepping away completely from golf to create a more balanced life. “I felt like that was the first quarter or that quarter was the first quarter where I felt somewhat normal, where I was going through all of the struggles of being a college student,” she reflected. Moreover, she gained broader perspectives that might help her maintain stability in the long run. “I learned a lot about the outside world with AI, with politics, with like society interactions,” Zhang noted, emphasizing how “it helps widen my horizons a little bit, like I anticipated.”

Zhang’s decision to prioritize stability meant missing several tournaments, including the chance to defend her title at the prestigious Founders Cup. Her 55-day competitive hiatus, however, was a deliberate investment in her well-being and long-term sustainability. She has 40 units remaining in her Stanford communications degree program, which she plans to complete over two more quarters, aiming to graduate in 2026.

While Zhang confidently follows her path, combining education with professional golf, her approach stands in stark contrast to the typical trajectory followed by most LPGA stars.

Zhang’s approach differs dramatically from her peers

Unlike many of her contemporaries, Zhang has chosen a path rarely taken in professional golf. Most elite young golfers either skip college entirely or leave early once they show professional promise. Top players like Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, and Charley Hull abandoned formal education to focus exclusively on their golf careers. In contrast, Zhang continues to prioritize her Stanford communications degree alongside her professional aspirations.

The stark difference in Zhang’s approach becomes evident when examining the typical career trajectory of LPGA stars. Many top-ranked players transition directly from junior golf to the professional ranks, often before turning 20. This traditional path prioritizes early competitive advantages and sponsorship opportunities over educational development. Zhang, however, is intentionally taking a different route that prioritizes long-term personal development alongside professional achievement.

By maintaining her connection to Stanford, Zhang is developing perspectives and knowledge that extend beyond golf. This approach aligns with a growing recognition in sports that broader life experiences can contribute to more sustainable athletic careers. Her experience at Stanford, complete with challenging coursework in diverse subjects, provides her with intellectual resources that may prove valuable throughout her career, both on and off the course.

The rising star’s education-focused quarter allowed her a rare opportunity to experience normal college life while still maintaining her professional golf career. “I feel like there is a lot of things I look back on and I think there is necessary steps to improve on to stay more stable and not completely burn out towards the end,” she noted, recognizing the importance of sustainable practices for long-term success.