Former gymnast Kilcrease finds success in golf

Grace Kilcrease was all about gymnastics until a growth spurt as a young girl convinced her gymnastics was not in her future.

Searching for another outlet, Kilcrease picked up a golf club when she was 13 years old and began hitting balls into a net in the back yard of her family's home. She intensified the workouts for weeks before moving to the golf course to develop her game.

"I bought three or four nets because she kept wearing holes in the net," John Kilcrease said of his daughter, who was a competitive gymnast from age 7 to 12. "Not sure I've ever seen someone work harder."

Kilcrease is wearing out the competition as a junior for the Springdale Har-Ber golf team that'll compete Tuesday and Wednesday at the girls Class 6A state tournament in Bryant. Despite her relatively late start as a competitive golfer, Kilcrease has emerged as a leader for a Har-Ber team that's won all its matches this season. Har-Ber is expected to challenge again after finishing fourth in the state last year.

"My Number One goal is to help my team out," said Kilcrease, who finished third in the state as a sophomore. "Of course, I want to win 'Individual (title)'. But we've won all of our tournaments this year and I want to do what I can to help us win state."

Kilcrease has finished over par only once this season in the five 18-hole tournaments she's played. Her average for high school matches in 69, including the 64 she shot at Kingswood in Bella Vista. That marked a career-low for Kilcrease, who celebrated by drinking a milkshake at Chick-Fil-A following the meet.

"I putted really well that day," said Kilcrease, who's grown to almost 5-foot-9 as a 16-year-old. "I only had 25 putts and I made a birdie or an eagle on all the par 5s."

Har-Ber golf coach Tim Aynes has watched the former gymnast develop into a top competitor on the golf course for the Lady Wildcats. In addition to the 64 she shot at Kingswood, Kilcrease carded a 67 at the Highlands.

"The Highlands is probably the toughest course we play," Aynes said. "Grace has had an incredible year so far. She has become not only a better golfer, but also a fierce competitor. Her mental maturity has also moved to another level in the last year and I expect to see her continue to improve with her work ethic and attitude."

Kilcrease, who lowered her average from 88 as a freshman to 78 has a sophomore, has already committed to the University of Tulsa after playing golf for only three years. She is an active member of the American Junior Golf Association and ranked No. 2 in Arkansas behind Mackenzie Lee of North Little Rock, the defending state champion in Class 6A.

"My dad and grandpa played golf, but I wasn't interested when I was doing gymnastics," said Kilcrease, who competed in a National AJGA Tournament at Kansas City, Mo., over the weekend. "That first year in golf was rough, but it was also a learning experience and it's really paid off for me."