Rising Star: 20-Year-Old Golfer Rose Zhang Reaches Career High and Secures Olympic Spot

20-year-old Rose Zhang, who turned pro last May and still takes Stanford classes, has just reached a career-high No. 6 in the Rolex Rankings. This came after her second LPGA Tour win at the Cognizant Founders Cup on Sunday, which vaulted her from No. 22 in the rankings. Zhang’s rise also catapulted her into the projected field for the Paris Olympics this summer, where she will join top-ranked Nelly Korda and other American golfers in competing for Olympic glory.

Zhang’s journey to this point began a year ago, when she was ranked No. 456 in the world and had only played six countable pro tournaments over two years as an amateur. However, she has since made significant strides on the course, climbing the rankings despite skipping four consecutive LPGA events from January to March while taking Stanford classes. With five more LPGA Tour events before the Olympic cutoff, including two majors in the U.S. Women’s Open and the Women’s PGA, Zhang is poised to make history as the youngest American golfer at an Olympics since 1904.

The return of golf to the Olympics in 2016 after a 112-year absence has brought renewed excitement and anticipation to the sport’s biggest stage. The rankings can still fluctuate with each tournament, but for now, Zhang is one of several promising American golfers vying for a spot on the team roster for Paris.