"It's My Time to Have Fun" — What High School Golf Means to Mya Morgan

Four years have passed since I last spoke with Mya Morgan in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the 2021 PGA Jr. League Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club. When I ask her to bring me up to speed, the rising high school senior lets out an exhale and smiles.

“It’s been a ride,” she says.

July is her busiest month. I’m talking to her in between tournaments, having just wrapped one before heading to Pinehurst for the 2025 PGA High School Golf National Invitational. The prestigious, invitation-only event features more than 500 of the country’s top high school golfers who have won their respective high school state championships as a team or as an individual from large, small, private or public schools. The girls tee off first July 14-16 on Pinehurst Nos. 1, 6 and 7, and the boys will follow July 20-22 on Pinehurst Nos. 5, 6 and 8.

While Morgan has moved on from her PGA Jr. League days, she has fond memories of that time and is still in touch with her teammates. It’s also clear the team aspect continues to serve as a balm for her mental and emotional wellbeing in between individual tournaments, too.

“I use high school golf as my detox,” Morgan said. “It’s my time to have fun with my teammates, who have become close friends. I make sure I’m always having fun during the high school golf seasons, because I don’t get moments like that in other tournaments. Having a whole team of people with the same interests as you and the same desire to succeed is a great experience.”

When her high school went up one classification to AAA her freshman year, it was an entirely new experience for the team of girls who went from rarely losing to rarely winning. The team has seen its ups and downs, but last year really marked a turning point for them, according to Morgan.

“Every single person broke 100, which was great,” she said. “Everyone started to become comfortable with each other and became so close, and having that team chemistry and support system was huge. That’s what made me so proud of my team.”

Morgan will compete as an individual in her first National Invitational, but it’s not her first time competing at Pinehurst’s iconic courses.

“It’s going to be a trip down memory lane,” she says. “I last played No. 6 when I was 10, and it’s one of my favorite courses of all time. Pinehurst has so many great memories and champions, and it’s cool for me just to walk on the same grass as they have.”

As Morgan eyes her next move and navigates the world of college recruiting, she’s keeping her heart and mind open to all options.

“I am totally open to any school, and I like talking to as many coaches and teammates as I can to get a feel for them,” she said. “I also want to let them know what kind of person I am both on and off the course.”

When I last spoke with a 13-year-old Mya Morgan, she wanted to be a broadcast journalist. I ask her if this is still the case.

“I’ve changed up my major three times since then,” she laughs. “I wanted to be a biochemist, but I’m not a biology fan. Then I wanted to be an engineer, but I knew I needed something more. That’s when I found out quantum and quantitative finance exists.”

Yes, you read that right. Morgan’s dad, Tony, is still caddying at the famed Oakmont Country Club, and the finance team there tells her it’s the future of their industry. Best of all, it combines her love of engineering and finance into one, and she’s just fine with the intensive amount of both undergraduate and graduate school it will require.

“I did more research, and I fell in love with it. I’ve been practicing reading stocks and gaining as much knowledge as I can.”

While her desired major might have fluctuated over the years, what hasn’t changed is her long game. At 13, she was hitting consistent 275-yard drives. Now she’s clocking 290 yards and gaining 10 mph per year on her swing.

The self-proclaimed “Korda sisters nerd” and biggest fan, Morgan knows you can never be too good at the short game, either. Combine that with the mental fortitude she’s worked hard to build, and she’s certainly grown into a force to be reckoned with on the course.

“I’ve been talking with my mental coach about game plans going into each day,” she said. “I can’t let anything destroy that inner bubble of mental toughness. If a little dirt gets in there, it’s fine, but I can’t let a bad hole impact the rest of my round. I need to trust myself and my game.”