Grace Choi. Photo by Danny Fulgencio
Woodrow senior Grace Choi sat in a coffee shop on a drizzly Thursday afternoon, chatting excitedly about the 4-A state golf championship game she had won just a couple of weekends prior. A woman and two teens in Woodrow uniforms stopped by and gave her a hug, lightheartedly announcing themselves to be her “biggest fans,” which Choi good-naturedly laughed off. In reality, though, many in East Dallas — certainly those with Woodrow affiliations — have been watching the young woman’s golf swing continue to improve year after year since Choi was a girl. She’s definitely someone who is easy to rally behind: She’s homegrown, having gone through Lakewood Elementary and J.L. Long before arriving at Woodrow; she’s obviously a phenomenal golfer; she’s also an exceptional student, preparing to graduate in June first in her class as an AP Scholar with Distinction and president of the National Honor Society; and on top of all that, she’s warm, engaging and incredibly humble about her accomplishments. “I’m extremely lucky to live in this neighborhood and know people who’ve watched me, even people I don’t know, people who just live here,” she says. “It’s really special to know, because when I play well, it’s not only for myself; it’s for my neighborhood.” Choi has won regionals twice and played in state tournaments three times. The first year, Choi went to state as a sophomore and placed fifth. The second time, as a junior, she placed third. Since the beginning of her senior year, her coaches joked that they hoped the trend continued and she improved by two again. “The reason she’s so successful is her incredibly hard work,” says Woodrow golf coach Tom Crabb. “I always say I’ve never seen anyone work so hard at a sport as she does at golf.” On April 30, their wish came true when Choi snagged first place by six under 64, finishing eight under 132 on 36 holes. The victory also broke a record for lowest winning score for UIL girls golf for state. Overall, she beat everyone by an impressive 12 strokes. The crowd, including her coaches, went wild, she says. “I think they were more nervous than I was, actually,” she says with a laugh. Choi says she felt good about the day from the very beginning, especially after scoring four birdies in a row on the third through sixth hole. “It was my last time [to play in the state championship], so I figured I might as well have fun, and I just happened to play well,” she says. Choi was heavily recruited by Harvard and planned to go there, but she fell in love with University of Michigan during her first visit. “I just pictured myself fitting in there better, and I met the coaches and players and they were wonderful,” she says. “I felt that I could succeed both as an athlete and a student there.” So in the fall, she’s heading to Michigan on a full-ride golf scholarship to study biomedical engineering. “I feel like I can continue to do well if I work hard,” she says. “I think my future looks bright.”
