Driving the tee into the ground, striking the ball, and watching it soar towards the green has become a familiar feeling for Morgan Smith, and one that she will continue to experience at Phillips Exeter High School next year.

Golf has been a special part of Morgan’s life for as long as she can remember, beginning with her parents meeting at a golf tournament. Her dad has since passed on his love for the game to two of his daughters, Morgan and Molly.

“It is great that I have a sister who plays because we can relate to each other with struggles, but we also push each other to become the best we can be,” Morgan said.

After being named the 2018 World Series of Junior Golf champion, being the first female to qualify for the Lowell Cities in 2019, winning the Northeast Classic in 2021, and leading the WA Golf team the past two years, Morgan found herself with four Division 1 offers to play golf at the next level. 

Although playing D1 golf has been a dream of Morgan’s for years, she ultimately found that none of the four schools that gave her offers were the right fit for her. Since the recruiting process is going back to normal, Morgan believes extending her high school career for one more season will ensure that she finds the right path over the next few years as she navigates through her golf career. 

“I made the decision to reach out to the Phillips Exeter golf coach and apply,” Morgan said. “Then I was fortunate enough to get in and honestly it is my best option for everything I want to achieve and I am very excited to have this opportunity.”

While Morgan wants to make a strong impact at the collegiate level when it comes to golfing, her academic career is just as important to her. She hopes Phillips Exeter will provide her with more time to practice her golf skills as well to improve her chances of reaching her goals academically as well.

“Golf-wise, a post graduate year provides me with an extra year to get stronger, play more tournaments, get noticed by more coaches, and hopefully play at a bigger and better program,” Morgan said. “Academics are important to me as well and with this I am hopeful I will not have to sacrifice one for the other.”