Rose Zhang Talks 2024 Olympics and Pressure of Competing on the LPGA

I recently got the chance to sit down with one of the best women golfers on the planet, Rose Zhang, now that she's one full year into her LPGA career. We talked about a variety of topics including what she feels have been the biggest challenges of adjusting to life on the LPGA as well as the prospect of representing the United States in the 2024 Olympic games in Paris.

Rose has been vocal about how despite success on the course in her first year on the LPGA, it's come with a bit of an adjustment period to that lifestyle.

"I think that's the reason why I was a little bit wary and cautious about wanting to turn pro in the first place just because I mentally and physically mature enough to be able to come out here, play against the best in the world, but also travel everywhere and do everything in between," she told FanSided.

"What I realized, especially after Mizuho (Americas Open) a lot of things came. I was running on a high, running on adrenaline, was able to play a couple of great events but once that noise of the media, of sponsorships, of different obligations comes in, and you get tired from the travel, you get sidetracked from, I guess, being able to go through the process of practicing without any exterior noise, that's when you're a lot more vulnerable not being able to play the best, playing into a little bit of a slump, and learning how to adjust to time zones, adjust to where you are, and the time. Those all play into the lifestyle of a golfer."

At the time of the interview, Zhang was the No. 8 ranked women's golfer in the world. Now, she's moved up a spot to No. 7 which firmly puts her in position for a spot on the United States Olympic team. I asked her how she felt about the prospect of competing at the Olympics.

"It's honestly crazy and incredible. Obviously nothing is set in stone, but I'm just trying my best to put myself in an opportunity to be able to do so but that's all I can do. If things work out, they work out. If they don't, they don't," Zhang said.

"I watched the Olympics ever since I was five years. Being able to watch all these sports, watch Michael Phelps, watch Simone Biles, you know, just all these incredible athletes compete for their country, compete for the red, white, and blue. To see how much honor and pride they bring to the country is honestly such a feeling that I would love to experience."

Zhang is no stranger to competing on the international stage. She won gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Games as a member of the mixed-gender team.

"That experience was really cool just because I've never been in Latin America before, let alone play a golf tournament. Just playing for a gold medal feels very different," she told FS. "It's a different experience playing for a crystal trophy or this specific trophy given to one winner. You're playing for gold medal, playing for silver, bronze, it's honestly so iconic and I loved every second of it."

Be sure to watch the full interview above. We also talked more about her first year on the LPGA, taking classes at Stanford, some of her favorite golf courses in the world, and her partnership with USwing Eyewear.