Rose Zhang, who has just completed her final exams, is preparing for her next major test: Baltusrol. This will be her first professional major.

Stacy Lewis, the U.S. Solheim Cup Captain, didn’t want the excitement that followed Rose Zhang’s breakthrough victory earlier this month to continue, but she had one request this week for the rookie: She wanted her to try clothes.

Lewis had Zhang in mind for the team for the 2024 Solheim Cup, knowing she would need to win the LPGA for her to be eligible to compete at this year’s tournament in Spain. She’s now following Zhang more closely.

Lewis said, “I would love to see her make the decision on her own and take it out of my hand.”

Zhang, 20 years old, makes her professional debut at the KPMG Ladies PGA Championship this week. She is fresh off a series of Stanford final exams. It was her computer science class, which has been giving Zhang fits for the entire quarter.

Zhang said to a press conference room packed with journalists on the morning of the championship, “I felt all the stress, but I didn’t feel stressed at the time because I couldn’t have cared less about my grades.”

As long as I finished the course, as long I did what I had to do, I was done with my sophomore year.

Zhang became the first LPGA player since Beverly Hanson to win a professional event on her debut. Since then, Zhang has been on a media trip in New York City and returned to Palo Alto with her non-golfing friends who helped her keep perspective.

Zhang said, “Once I returned to campus, my friends all told me, “Yo, congratulations.” After that, we talked about random topics and how people have survived campus life.

Lewis coached Zhang for the first time at Spirit International in Texas a few years ago. Zhang won the individual title that week after shooting 10 under par.

Lewis said, “If you’d watched her play, you would probably think she played badly.” Her demeanor was impressive, as well as the way she carried herself.

Zhang then headed to the Golf Channel set on site where she declared humbly that her goal for this week is to make the cut. She made a similar statement at Mizuho. She made sure, before leaving the studio, to compliment Amanda Blumenherst on her playing career and Paige Mackenzie for her analyst work.

Zhang played with her 2-1/2-year-old nephew in the days before the KPMG. She has no idea that she is now a woman of adulthood and a rising sport star.

She said that the biggest adjustment so far would be not being able to improve her game as much she used to as an amateur. Zhang’s Stanford daily grind was legendary.

She said: “I feel that as an amateur you take it for given, where you can just sit out on the range and no one talks to you. You can keep hitting balls for four hours. You can putt, chip or do anything you want.

But I can’t do it anymore.

Lydia Ko is one of the few players who has experienced playing under intense scrutiny at an early age. She won on the LPGA tour at 15 years old and turned professional at 16, becoming a two-time LPGA winner.

Ko said to the media, “I think that you like to talk about this first, then this last, and this-this.” There are always titles.

The 26-year old, 19-time LPGA champion noted that Zhang and she are not that much apart in age. They’re only six years apart. She wonders though if people believe she is 35.

Ko said, “She is a very special athlete.” “I don’t think you have to tell me that she is special. Her accolades and her achievements speak for themselves.”