Rose Zhang is currently wearing two hats. Some days she focuses on her classes at Stanford, and other days she focuses on her classes at Stanford. On other days, she plays professional golf.
Although she has a busy life, she hopes to finish her studies by the beginning of spring.
But this week, she's focusing solely on the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, a celebrity tournament benefiting children in the Orlando area.
So instead of gaining knowledge in the classroom, Zhang has to learn on the golf course. And on Thursday, she took a lesson from playing partner Albert Pujols, one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
“He's got the nickname 'The Machine,' and you can tell he's definitely living in the moment,” Chan said of future Hall of Famer Pujols.
“Even if he's not doing well, he's very calm.”
Chan, a native of Irvine, Calif., was familiar with Pujols from his time with the Los Angeles Angels. She was also familiar with his short stint with the Dodgers.
However, she admitted that she did not have much conversation with him during Thursday's opening round.
“We felt it was not the time and place to pick his brain accurately,” Zhang said.
“But I had a quick chat with him, and I learned a lot from his attitude.”
Pujols has long been a fan favorite. He hit 703 career home runs (fourth in MLB history), helped the St. Louis Cardinals win two World Series, and maintained integrity and integrity throughout his career. His consistency and longevity have long been something to be admired as well.
He even knew how to poke fun at himself, as shown in this iconic ESPN commercial.
“The Machine” always made time for the young fans in the stands.
He has spent nearly 20 years advocating for his organization, the Pujols Family Foundation, which helps people with Down syndrome.
Naturally, Zhang was excited after seeing Pujols' behavior on Thursday, as she shot a 3-under 69, four strokes behind leader Ayaka Furue.
“It was really great to be with Albert. He's a legend in the game. For me, it was very inspiring and we just had a good time,” Chan said.
“My irons felt good today and I played well. I was very consistent. I had some drives that were a little off, but overall I was very happy. [where my] game [is at]Especially in such a short offseason. ”
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation's Playing Through.Be sure to check it out @_PlayingThrough Cover more golf. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko In the same way.
