SPOTLIGHT: Grantham Enjoys Life On And Off The Course

By Kim Ling
Associate Athletics Media Relations Director

Someone once said, "Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion." Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer of our time and perhaps of all time, has an unending passion for the game of golf and for winning. Ole Miss senior Sara Grantham, who displays a huge fist pump when she makes a big putt as Tiger does, exudes plenty of passion in everything surrounding her life.

For Grantham golf started as a family affair. She began playing at the age of nine when she tagged along to the course with her dad, uncle and grandparents.

"I would go out and ride around with them when they played," she said. "I would watch them, and then I eventually picked it up myself. Grantham dabbled in some other sports, but liked golf better. "I found out pretty early on that I didn't like to run that much, so I stuck to golf."

The game of golf has taken Grantham places. While living in Cleveland, Tenn., Grantham helped lead her high school team (Baylor) to four consecutive state titles, and she was the Tennessee Junior Champion in 2005.

She signed with the Rebels in 2005, but her path to Ole Miss began at a much earlier age.

"My mom went to school here, and so did my uncle," Grantham said. "My grandparents both grew up in Mississippi. I grew up going to football games and hearing about Ole Miss. We have a picture of me, and I think I am 3-years old, wearing Ole Miss gear. It was always a big part of my life, and when I came here (for official visit), I just absolutely loved it."

While she settled into things on the Ole Miss campus nicely, the golfing part of her experience did not go exactly as planned until head coach Michele Drinkard took over in 2007. That's when things began to change. In two years under Drinkard, Grantham has helped lead the Rebels back to NCAA Regionals and the program's first tournament title since 2004, all coming last year. Grantham also notched her best finish as a Rebel, earning runner-up at the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate in the spring of 2009.

The success of last season translated into the summer for Grantham, who experienced the highest thrill for an amateur golfer. She began the summer qualifying and advancing to match play at the U.S. Public Links Amateur Championship, and ended it by qualifying and advancing to match play at the U.S. Amateur Championship.

"It was awesome," Grantham said, of getting to play at the U.S. Am. "It was a great experience and something I will remember forever. It was fun to play a wonderful golf course with a great field. The tournament is very elite with the way they run it, even the match play part with all the TV people there. It's definitely a unique atmosphere that I hadn't experienced before. You see it on TV, but you don't really know what it's like. It was neat."

Adding to the thrill of being at the U.S. Amateur, Grantham talked about getting to see her idol, Dottie Pepper, who was doing TV commentating for The Golf Channel.

"One of my favorite golfers has always been Dottie Pepper. To see her and Kay Cockerill in person was a pretty cool experience for me," Grantham said. "I have a hat autographed by her (Dottie Pepper) that's been in my room since fifth grade. I said before I teed off that day (first round of match play) 'if she just says my name, I am going to be happy.'"

Indeed the 17-time LPGA winner spoke highly of Grantham. "She has a great attitude, and she is a fighter on the course."

Playing on a team spending countless hours a week honing her skills, one would think time wouldn't allow for much else. But, Grantham's passion extends beyond the golf course. She loves the outdoors so much that she spends her free time in the offseason hunting and fishing.

"I remember for my 13th birthday my grandfather gave me my first shotgun," Grantham recalled. "We grew up going bird hunting with my dad, my grandfather and my uncle. I started deer hunting around that same age. We have a lake in our back yard, so I could fish after playing golf.

"I just love the outdoors. I love playing golf, being outside all the time. The same thing with hunting and fishing, it's like another sport to me. It's like a hobby. I would love to compete in a bass fishing tournament. I would love to get a boat, but that's probably way down the road."

For now, Grantham is concentrating on helping her team get back to the NCAAs and having a successful senior campaign.

"We just have to stay in the present and keep going with the plan," she said. "It's the small things that are going to make the big difference. We've been working really hard in the weight room and at practice. The thing that's going to make the biggest difference is us taking care of business here week in and week out in our practices and workouts, and our overall attitudes about everything."

Taking care of business for Grantham is all about balance in her life. She is not only successful in golf, but Grantham manages to get it done in the classroom and also be a member of Alpha Omicron Pi (AOPi) sorority. Grantham is a regular on the university honor roll and a two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.

"It's all about managing time," she says. "Golf definitely takes a large amount of time and the classroom too. I live in the sorority house. It's nice to have friends there who don't know much about golf. It's kind of like an escape for me. It helps me. I can't be too involved in a lot of things, but I try to do what I can.

"With the classroom, it's all about managing your time with tutors, trying to get all the help you can and meeting your teachers and trying to stay on top of everything every week. It's definitely a challenge, but it's rewarding at the same time."

Grantham will finish up her business management degree in December of 2010 and plans to stay in golf as a teaching instructor.

"I've had an internship at a golf school (in Birmingham, Ala.) for a few years now. I definitely want to stay connected to golf. Right now I am not thinking a lot about playing, but it's still an option. I want to see how the season goes and see what happens."

With her passion for all that life has to offer, Grantham is on the path to success wherever she ends up.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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