With some of the LPGA’s best golfers on its roster, such as Rose Zhang, Adidas is celebrating the league’s 75th anniversary in style.
This year marks a momentous milestone for the LPGA as it celebrates 75 years of competitive women’s golf and the figures who have made history throughout the decades. From its humble beginnings in 1950 to becoming one of the most respected tours in professional sports, the league’s heritage is steeped in perseverance, excellence, and empowerment. In 2025, the Tour adds another historic chapter by offering a record-breaking total prize fund of over $131 million — a testament to how successful the game has been and the growing recognition of its incredible athletes.
Alongside the growth in competition and opportunity, golf has seen a striking evolution in style and self-expression. The fairways double as runways, and Adidas has been at the forefront of this transformation. As a proud partner and outfitter of top LPGA players, the Three Stripes has combined high-performance innovation with bold design, giving athletes the confidence to perform at their best while showcasing their individuality. During a recent retreat in Laguna Beach to celebrate two of its ambassadors, Boardroom was given a sneak peek of upcoming drops and had a moment to speak with the pros in attendance.
When it comes to golf prodigies, Rose Zhang is up there with some of the game’s greats. She took home the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur title and won back-to-back NCAA Division I Championships in 2022 and 2023, making history as the first woman to win the individual title twice at Stanford, where she also became the first student-athlete to sign a NIL deal with Adidas. Less than two weeks after turning pro in 2023, she became the first player to win in her professional debut on the Tour since 1951. Oh, and she’s doing this while still being currently enrolled as a student.
It’s often said that golf is a humbling sport, with competitors experiencing their best result in one tournament only to miss the cut the following week. When asked how she views the fluctuating aspects of the game, Zhang says it’s essential that expectations align with the process.
“Anything that you do on the golf course, it’s pretty directly correlated with how you prepared and how your mindset is prior to the event,” explained the 22-year-old. “I’ve played really well in my career because I’ve prepared well. I’ve done the best that I could to get myself in a position and have my physical game be in top-tier shape. And at the same time, I’ve trained on a mental level to understand how course management operates, where I should hit the ball, small things like that.”
Although only in her third year on the tour, Zhang recognizes the significance of the LPGA’s long history. The 13 founders who first teed off at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wichita, Kansas, not only changed history but also established a community that has been passed down to generations. Unlike some sports, where competition lasts for several months and then has a defined offseason, golf is played year-round. The offseason lasts through the holiday season, but shortly into the new year, it’s time to lock in once again. Zhang reflected on some of these sentiments she has been experiencing during this historic season.
“There’s so much gratitude in the things that we’re doing now,” she said. “I think I’m so privileged to be able to play in a sport that has such good community and also has such good life lessons to be given to you. Golf by any means is not easy, and it can be very frustrating, but at the same time, the longevity, the history of the game, and the amount of people that are now more interested in the sport itself, it’s just an exciting time. For me to be able to be a part of that and say that I’m playing, playing on a tour that is now 75 years long, and now it’s growing into something that’s more than just the game itself.”
Zhang’s impressive roster of sponsors reflects not only her elite status in golf but also the sport’s evolution in performance and style. Among her key partners, Adidas stands out for pushing the boundaries of modern golf fashion. Gone are the days of rigid, traditional attire — today’s golf apparel blends technical innovation with sleek, athletic design. With Adidas, Zhang tells Boardroom that the benefits of clothing engineered for movement, breathability, and style allow her to perform at the highest level without compromising comfort.
“I feel so grateful they have considered how I feel about the way that I play with the clothes I’m wearing. And they put a lot of thought into how to make me feel good, which I feel like is quite unique from a lot of other brands. But it’s interesting because no matter what, it seems like they always have this encouragement for you to just be your best. There is not external pressure that you have to do this and that. It’s more of what is authentic to you, and I think they embrace that really well.”
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How Adidas Fuels Tavatanakit’s On-Course Confidence
Another golfer on the Tour whose affiliation with Adidas has only bettered her golf game is Patty Tavatanakit. Born in Thailand, she went pro in 2020 and in the last five years, has recorded two career wins, one being a major (2021 ANA Inspiration). Tavatanakit called working with Adidas a dream, reflecting on how they pay close attention to the varying playing conditions on the tour to adapt her wardrobe for maximum performance.
“They’re a global brand, and I feel like myself the most when wearing them,” she said. “I’m a sporty girl. If I’m not golfing, I’m in gym clothes. So it’s the best of both worlds.”
We’ll see the 25-year-old tee off Thursday at the Dow Championship in Midland, Michigan, this weekend, but Tavatanakit tells Boardroom she’s got her sights set on another tournament this summer: The Amundi Evian Championship in Evian-les-Bains, France. As the next major on the calendar (July 10-13), she calls the course one of the most beautiful on the calendar.
“It’s a place where I think back, and I can always have a smile on my face regardless of how I play. It’s a cute little town with a nice course,” Tavatanakit said.
Only a few years into her pro career, Tavatanakit is already thinking about the future golfers of the LPGA. Reflecting on the association’s 75th anniversary, one of her goals (outside of winning, of course) is to leave the game in a better state than she found it. After all, the future lies in their clubs.
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