Rose Zhang Completes Stanford Degree with Beer Brewing Paper

The two-time LPGA winner wraps up her communications degree with a final 10-page project on beer brewing.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 12:18am

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Rose Zhang, a two-time LPGA winner, is set to graduate from Stanford University with a degree in communications. As her final requirement, the 22-year-old has a 10-page paper on beer brewing due this week, despite not being a drinker herself. Zhang has juggled her professional golf career with a full course load at Stanford, even playing on two Solheim Cup teams while a student-athlete. She will walk with her classmates in mid-June, taking a break from the LPGA tour to celebrate the achievement.

Why it matters

Zhang's decision to turn professional after her sophomore year but remain committed to finishing her degree on campus at Stanford is a rare move in the world of elite college athletes. Her ability to balance the demands of professional golf with a full course load highlights her determination and discipline, setting an example for other student-athletes who may be considering similar paths.

The details

For her final paper, Zhang is writing about the archeology and microbiology of beer brewing, a topic that may seem unrelated to her communications degree but reflects her broad intellectual curiosity. Despite the challenges of juggling tour life and academics, Zhang has thrived in the Stanford community, finding support in her faith and close friendships with teammates like Rachel Heck.

  • Zhang's 10-page paper on beer brewing is due on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
  • Zhang will walk with her Stanford classmates to receive her degree in mid-June 2026, skipping a couple of LPGA events to celebrate the achievement.

The players

Rose Zhang

A 22-year-old two-time LPGA winner who is set to graduate from Stanford University with a degree in communications.

Rachel Heck

Zhang's former Stanford teammate who opted not to turn professional, deciding instead to pursue other passions.

Lydia Ko

A 23-time LPGA winner who admires Zhang's accomplishments in balancing her professional golf career with a full course load at Stanford.

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What they’re saying

“I would say I did have to put in a lot of time and energy into thinking about why I wanted to do these things, about why I wanted to play tour golf, go to college, everything in between.”

— Rose Zhang

“I've been talking to her a lot about, yeah, it's not always fun out here, and it's a job, and I want to be able to commit to this job for at least a little bit, you know.”

— Rose Zhang

“I get cold sores just by playing golf. I obviously can't speak for her, but I'd be at the point of being like, wow, this is a lot. Maybe I should take a gap year or something. But she powered through. I was telling her 'Hey, this is pretty much your rookie year.'”

— Lydia Ko

What’s next

Zhang will walk with her Stanford classmates to receive her degree in mid-June 2026, taking a break from the LPGA tour to celebrate the achievement.

The takeaway

Rose Zhang's ability to balance the demands of professional golf with a full course load at Stanford, including completing a final 10-page paper on beer brewing, demonstrates her exceptional discipline and commitment to her education. Her decision to remain a student-athlete while turning professional sets an inspiring example for other elite college athletes considering similar paths.