Morgan Grantham has come a long way since getting her first set of golf clubs as a kindergarten graduation present.
Grantham remembers having a knack for hitting balls. But it took a nurturing mom to convince her that her dog wasn't the best target at which to blast tennis balls.
Instead, Mom decided to take her overzealous 5-year-old to the greens.
"My mom thought it was a good idea to take me to the golf course, because we only lived a block away," Grantham said. "I was really competitive. I just really wanted to get better at golf, because when I started out, I was horrible. It was frustrating, and I just started practicing to get better."
Even at a young age, Grantham began developing into an elite golfer.
At Kingman North High School she was voted MVP of her golf team for four years in a row and named a scholar-athlete during her freshman year.
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Grantham's father, George, influenced her decision to play golf and helped evolve her game. Being an athletic man himself, George played many sports, including golf, baseball and football.
Grantham, a soccer standout during her high school days, was named MVP of the soccer team as a senior.
But with a scholarship offer from UNM, Grantham decided to dedicate her time to golf.
Now a senior, Grantham has one of the best swings head coach Jill Trujillo has seen.
"Sometimes she gets tired of hearing that," Trujillo said. "She has such a solid golf swing. We are working on consistency and her short game, though."
As a freshman, Grantham played in the final eight tournaments for the Lobos, improving her game tremendously during the last two months of the season.
At the 2005 Mountain West Conference Championships at UNLV, Grantham shot a season-low 74.
Despite playing in only four tournaments in her sophomore season, Grantham placed 41st at the Landfall Tradition tournament. In 12 rounds of golf, she finished the year with a 79.5 shot average.
In her junior year, Grantham showcased her golfing potential.
Her best stroke average was 77.74 in 23 rounds. She finished second in the MWC Championships in March and shot a career low during the second round - a 2-under par 71.
Over the summer, Grantham played in the Albuquerque City Women's Amateur championship at the Santa Ana Golf Club.
"I play pretty stable," Grantham said. "I get excited on a few holes, but when I do that, I play bad. When I play well, I am relaxed, not anxious. That is my best strength."
Grantham won the tournament, leading the field by 19 shots.
At the Stanford Intercollegiate, where the Lobos placed 13th, Grantham shot a career-low 69. She finished the tournament tied for 60th place.
"Throughout the years here at UNM, she has improved quite a bit in all areas," Trujillo said. "She gets the job done."
