Susannah (Susy) Grunden, a native of Denton, Texas and 2009 high school graduate is the TJGT’s featured alumni of the week.
Susy grew up playing on the TJGT at from a young age and was a frequent competitor in numerous TJGT events. She enjoyed traveling throughout the state of Texas in order to gain exposure in front of collegiate coaches and credits her college success to her time on the TJGT.
Susy proved her worth on the junior golf circuit, placing in the top five in several TJGT events. She was eventually offered a full ride scholarship to Bowling Green University in Ohio.
The Texan packed her bags and moved her game to the northern part of the USA to begin a wildly successful collegiate career. During her first year and a half at Bowling Green, Grunden was by far the team’s standout player. Leading the team her freshman year with a 78.5 scoring average, it’s no surprise she was name the BGSU Papa John’s student athlete of the week twice. Grunden’s scoring average was the lowest in BGSU history and she remained their top contender in 12 out of 12 collegiate events.
Grunden’s stellar play motivated her to move on to bigger and better things. The Texas A&M fighting Aggies took notice of her performance and offered Susy a spot in their lineup, scholarship and all, after she separated from Bowling Green.
In 2011, Grunden began her stint at Texas A&M and helped the Aggies to a Top 10 finish in the 2011 Women’s Golf NCAA National Championship. She also finished tied for 18th in the 2011 Big 12 Championships.
Her most impressive collegiate performance came during her senior year when she placed 4th in the PING/ASU invitational with impressive scores of (68, 75, 67). After battling swing changes for almost a year, this showing solidified her standing as an elite college gold competitor. She ended her golf career competing in the 2013 Women’s West Regional tournament with a 55th place finish and scores of (73, 79, 73).
Susy continues to reside in Denton, TX and has placed her hard earned business degree to work. She works for her father, Ricky Grunden Sr.’s company: Grunden Financial Advisory, Inc. Susy still enjoys playing golf with her father’s clients on the weekends and you can catch her frequently volunteering her time at TJGT events in the summer.