Golf wasn't an instant love for Montverde Academy (FL) golfer Grace Xu.
Xu, from Shanghai, China, started playing the sport when she was 7 years old, after following her elder brother around. Part of the allure for her was being outdoors. But that's not where her golf career began.
"When I first played golf, I think it was on a simulator," Xu told USA TODAY Sports. "I couldn't even hit a shot. It was so hard, I was like, 'How could I hit a ball with a golf club?' I think after playing for five or six months, I went on the golf course and I just love being outside."
Part of the love for golf for Xu comes from being outdoors. The other part comes from the different challenges different courses can present.
"I feel like every hole is a new adventure
for me," Xu said. "I like seeing different layouts. When I was young, I liked to design different golf courses. I also like to play Minecraft, so I design some golf courses when I play Minecraft."
Xu was a standout player in her freshman season at Montverde. She helped guide the team to its first-ever Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Girls Golf State Championship.
She did so in historic style, capturing the individual title by setting the lowest single-round score in event history with a 62 (-9) in the first round. She followed that up with a 69 (-2) on Day 2, finishing with a total score of 131, which set the FHSAA state championship record for the lowest two-round total in event history.
By January 2025, Xu was named the 2024 Florida Dairy Farmers 2024 Miss Golf in her freshman season.
However, the momentum going into her sophomore season was halted by a back injury, which prevented her from golfing all season.
She returned to the golf course for Montverde's season opener against First Academy on Sept. 3.
Back injury costs Grace Xu sophomore season
Losing her sophomore season was tough for Xu. She said she was healed by the time the FHSAA postseason came around last year, but she was not eligible because she did not play in the regular season.
"It was very disappointing, because I really wanted to play for the team," Xu said. "When you are not able to play for a while, you just start appreciating the moment a little more on the golf course."
Somehow, not playing gave her more anxiety on the course.
"When I play on the golf course, I think I stay pretty calm," she said. "But when I watch (my teammates) play, I get more excited and sometimes more nervous because I get to see the leaderboard and I want them to win every single time."
Grace Xu reclassifies to 2027 class
With one lost season due to injury, Xu actually lost another season of high school golf when she decided to reclassify from the 2028 class to the 2027 class.
Now she is making the most of her senior year before she decides which college to attend.
"This year, I've played so many golf tournaments individually already, so I feel like I'm pretty prepared," Xu said. "I think I am pretty confident about our team, and I'm just really excited to get back to play with my teammates this year.
"... I really want to finish my high school career strong this year."
She added that winning state is a big goal for her this season.
The decision to reclassify was to give herself a chance to compete at a higher level and learn from different people.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Montverde Academy (FL) golf phenom who missed last season is back to chasing records
