‘Its Difficult’: Rose Zhang Sheds Stark Reality on the ‘Toll’ of Being an LPGA ‘Perfectionist’

Just a year after turning pro, Rose Zhang has made it to No. 22 on the Rolex World Golf Rankings. While such a scenario was possible because of the exquisite gameplay she displayed on the course, it appears there’s one more reason why the LPGA Tour Pro was able to do so—none other than her being a perfectionist.

However, being a stickler for perfection isn’t all roses and sunshine for the golfer, or so she revealed in a new episode of The Plus Podcast, titled Rose Zhang: Free from Pressure and Perfectionism. Additionally, she also went ahead to divulge where her urge to want to be perfect came from while divulging her current situation as a professional in the sport.

Rose Zhang shines a light on her idealist side

“I am a perfectionist,” admitted the LPGA Tour pro as she divulged how she tries her best every time on and off the course. But Zhang was quick to point out the cons of being an idealist of sorts, especially so in an individual sport such as golf, as she said, “I will say that sometimes it does take a toll on me, and those around me have specifically told me to rest, and I, yeah, it’s, it’s difficult.“

Adding on, she confessed how trying to not disappoint others has led to her being a perfectionist. “You don’t want to let others down based on what their expectations are,” continued the 1-time LPGA Tour champ. “But most importantly, you don’t want to let yourself down. Because everything that you’re doing, it’s, it’s on you, you’re held accountable. And with that in mind, that’s where the root of that perfectionism comes from.” 

Well, it sure has led her to excel in many aspects, including her driving accuracy of 82.33% and scoring average of 71, among others. That’s not all; aside from the amazing gameplay that she was able to display on the course, her pedant attitude has also helped her rake in a total of six top-10 finishes in a year after turning professional in 2022. Out of them, the golfer also emerged victorious at the 2023 Mizuhos Americas Open.

Regardless of the cons, it sure does take a perfectionist like Rose Zhang to adhere to a busy schedule, especially when she is a professional golfer as well as a college student. As a result, it is natural for the community to wonder how she managed to build her surroundings with attention to detail.

Zhang’s team of professionals who cater to her perfectionism

“I am a perfectionist,” admitted the LPGA Tour pro as she divulged how she tries her best every time on and off the course. But Zhang was quick to point out the cons of being an idealist of sorts, especially so in an individual sport such as golf, saying, “I will say that sometimes it does take a toll on me, and those around me have specifically told me to rest, and I, yeah, it’s, it’s difficult.“

Divulging the details surrounding her professional help, she also revealed how she has started working with a nutritionist and a sports performance specialist, along with other people from agencies and CPAs. “You’ve got to, I guess, have all these other people lined up to try to make yourself better,” added the golfer before mentioning again how there’s pressure to make oneself better with the help being given.

In the end, it seems the golfer has quite equipped herself with the proper team that caters to her perfectionist tendencies. And, it perfectly makes sense now when looking back at her statement, “You’re held accountable; you really do have to try to do your best to make sure that you’re doing well enough. And the perfectionism kind of shines through through all that.”