On April 5, junior Nina Xu announced her commitment to play Division I golf at Lehigh University. Xu has been playing golf for seven years. She found her passion at the age of 10, as a way to bond with her dad.
“I never actually thought about playing it seriously,” Xu said. “It kind of just happened, and I really like it.”
What started as casual activity quickly turned into something more. Since then, Xu has developed into one of the top players on her team, with a mindset centered around constant self-improvement. While she named Rory McIlroy her favorite golfer, she attributes much of her growth to self-motivation.
“I’d have to say my biggest influence is myself,” Xu said. “I always have to be a better version of myself.”
Xu’s focus on personal growth has paid off, as she is constantly outperforming herself. After staying up late to attend a Katy Perry concert with her dad, Xu went on to shoot her personal best—six under par—the next day. On top of that, Xu’s proudest accomplishment was when she placed third in CIF (California Interscholastic Federation).
“I actually did not expect a place that high, but it was pretty fun,” Xu said.
Xu finds golf more than just a sport she plays—it is a defining pillar for her life. Throughout her many years as a golfer, Xu has found that it has made her calmer and more composed.
“You can’t have that many ups and downs in your emotions, because you have to be kind of flat during your turn around,” Xu said. “That’s helped me in real life, when unexpected things happen I tend to stay calmer now.”
Xu is constantly finding new strategies to help her focus on the course and in everyday life. Unlike many golfers who listen to music to help them focus, Xu finds audiobooks the best way for her to block out distractions.
“Listening to an audiobook keeps me grounded and just pushes me to keep practicing,” Xu said.
Navigating golf has not always been an easy journey for Xu. Throughout her years of playing high school golf, Xu had to constantly remind herself the importance of working hard and maintaining perspective.
“Sometimes when I play with the other girls, I forget that there’s a much bigger sea out there and I’m not competing solely with the people in our league,” Xu said. “I have to remember that I still have to work hard, and there’s other people better than me.”
Xu’s commitment to that philosophy has paid off, culminating in her recruitment to play at the college level. Xu weighed offers from several schools before deciding on Lehigh.
“I was at a crossroads because one of the colleges was in California, which is very sunny and good for golf,” Xu said.
In the end, Xu decided that going to Lehigh, a school known for its academic success, would be better for her to pursue her goals in golf as well as in school.
“It was between pursuing a career in golf professionally, or focusing on my academics,” Xu said. “In the end, my parents and I came to the conclusion that I should prioritize learning.”
As she prepares to join the Lehigh golf team, Xu is already envisioning her next chapter.
“The major there I’m pretty excited to do is Integrated Business and Engineering,” Xu said. “And the campus is really pretty, it looks like Hogwarts…there’s a lot of hiking nearby, and I really like nature so that would be nice.”
For those hoping to follow a similar path, Xu believes that the biggest key is starting early and making yourself known.
“You should reach out to coaches and put yourself on their list and make yourself known,” Xu said.
Colleges also like to see demonstrated growth and improvement over time.
“Don’t panic if you kinda suck in your freshman year or even sophomore year,” Xu said. “If you just show trends of improvement, then you’ll be fine.”
As Xu prepares for her next chapter at Lehigh, her journey from high school athlete to Division 1 commit serves as a reminder that success does not have to follow a straight path. What began as bonding time with her father has evolved into a disciplined pursuit of excellence, and Xu hopes to continue on that path throughout college.
