It happened to Tiger, it happened to Michelle Wie, it happened to Lexi Thompson and it’s happening to Rose Zhang.

At the KPMG Women’s PGA in New Jersey this past week Zhang was – understandably – the focus of attention in the lead up. Winning your debut event as a professional three weeks before a major will do that.

Then, despite being at less than her best over the opening three rounds, the hype machine went into overdrive Sunday when the 20-year-old raced to five-under through 11 holes to be just one shot out of the lead.

Social media was awash with posts about Zhang’s play, with fans urged to tune in for what was shaping as an historical day.

Ultimately, bogeys at 13 and 16 (compounded by a ball in the water off the tee at the 18th) cost Zhang a chance at victory.

That honour instead went to China’s Ruoning Yin in one of the most compelling final major championship rounds, men’s or women’s, in recent memory.

But for all the excitement of the finish, what was firmly established at Baltusrol is that Zhang, whether she wants it or not, is going to be carrying an enormous weight of expectation for at least the foreseeable future.

"From the outside Zhang looks well equipped for the journey, but all of us travelling with her would be well advised to keep in mind that life is about more than golf. Even if you’re Rose Zhang."

From those in charge at LPGA headquarters to tournament sponsors and media, the excitement surrounding Zhang is good for business.

Eyeballs equal money and at a time when men’s professional golf is in a state of turmoil there feels like an opportunity for the women’s game to ‘cash in’. In that sense, Zhang couldn’t have come along at a better time.

What’s easy to forget, of course, is that at the centre of the storm is a human being, one that is just 20 years of age.

As my colleague Jimmy Emanuel noted in an excellent column last week, we all too often forget that extraordinary sporting talent does not confer super-human powers on people.

Defending Women’s PGA champion In Gee Chun was the inspiration for that column, the three-time major winner speaking in the lead up about bouts with depression brought on, ironically, by success.

Much more than hitting fairways or making putts, it will be dealing with the internal and mostly unreasonable external pressures which will be the ongoing challenge for Zhang.

There is no textbook for becoming an overnight celebrity and doing so while simultaneously managing a world class golf game won’t be easy. Many have come up short before.

It is, of course, all part of the job for those who devote their entire life to having the opportunities Zhang now has.

She is in this position because she wants it, and she will no doubt be financially well rewarded for it. But that doesn’t mean it will be easy or comfortable.

From the outside Zhang looks well equipped for the journey, but all of us travelling with her would be well advised to keep in mind that life is about more than golf.

Even if you’re Rose Zhang.