By Bill Sheehan 

"Golf is 80% mental, 10% ability, 10% luck." – Jack Nicklaus 

If golf indeed is a mental game, Cal State Fullerton's Davina Xanh seems to have what it takes. 

She has shown her mettle in showcase golf events in her native Britain. In 2015, she placed second at the Girls 11 and Under US Kids European Championships. Xanh won the 2020 English Girls Amateur Stroke Play Championship in sudden death. And last summer, she finished as runner-up in the English Women's Amateur Championship, losing 1-down on the last hole of match play. 

"My sudden-death win was super nerve-wracking. I was only 16. But it really helped my confidence." Xanh said. "The Amateur was also a high-pressure experience. And though it was not the result I wanted, I held firm under the circumstances." 

Xanh, who was a member of 2021 English Girls National Team, is finding success on the U.S. collegiate level. Xanh leads the Titans women's golf team with a 73.79 scoring average and holds the low round of 66. She has recorded three top-10 finishes, including a tie for first place at the Pat Lesser-Harbottle Invitational in Lakeland, Wash. 

It's crunch time again for Xanh. She and her teammates are competing at the three-day Big West Women's Golf Championship, which is being held at Spanish Trail Country Club in Las Vegas. 

After Day 1, the Titans are tied for third place with Long Beach State. Both schools recorded 9-over 297 scores. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo leads with a 292 score (+4), with UC Riverside in second at 295 (+7). 

Individually, Kaitlyn Smith of Fullerton shot an even-par 72 and is tied for third. Xanh and teammates Linley Ooi and Elina Saska each fired 75s and are in a six-way tie for 14th. Titan Katharina Zeilinger tied for 22nd with a 77 (+5). The high score is dropped from the team total. 

"Overall, I played fairly well, but I left some opportunities out there. I made some small mistakes and didn't make up for them. Kaitlyn putted well with some tough green conditions. The course has some long walks, and the heat was a factor, so hydration was important," said Xanh. 

"If we stick to our game plan and stay patient, our scores will drop. We just need keep to focused." 

Kathryn Hosch, the Titans sixth-year head coach, stressed to her golfers the importance of playing under control, especially when conditions are less than desirable. "We anticipate the tournament to tighten up, so it's matter of sticking with our strategy and finishing strong," she said. 

Hosch said Xanh has been a key contributor this season and praised her overall game. 

"Davina has a lot going for her," said Hosch, "Not many freshmen have the experience she has. Davina is smart, self-reliant and mentally really strong. She is good at staying even keel. If she does take a stumble, she gets over it quickly." 

Kajsa Landstrom, a teammate, agreed. "Davina is very good keeping her cool in difficult situations. She is very stable and doesn't make a lot of mistakes," said Landstrom, a Dane whose first name is pronounced KAI-sa. 

Born and raised in Weston-super-Mare, a seaside town in southwest England, the 5-foot-7 Xanh hit the ground running after crossing the pond. 

In September, Xanh finished 11th at the Hobble Creek Fall Classic in Springville, Utah, and tied for third at the Coeur d'Alene College Invitational in Idaho. In the latter event, her second-round 66 was the second-lowest 18-hole score in school history, surpassed only by Martina Edberg's 65 in 2015. 

Xanh was named October Big West Golfer of the Month thanks to a pair of top-10 finishes. Xanh shot a 3-under par 213 (73-69-71) to tie for first at the Pat Lesser-Harbottle Invitational, coming up just short in the playoff. She followed that by tying for ninth at The Clash at Boulder Creek in Boulder City, Nev. 

"My game was in a good place in the fall. I've struggled a little in the spring, but everyone goes through ups and downs," said Xanh, who has three 11ths, a 24th and a 44th in five tournaments since February. "Lately, I've been striking the ball well and working on my putting." 

The 19-year-old Xanh, who uses an interlocking grip, recently switched to Srixon irons. A Ping G425 Max driver, Calloway Mavrik woods and an Odyssey putter round out her clubs. 

Her success in Britain paved the way for scholarship offers from U.S. schools. "She wanted to find somewhere in America that was hot," said her brother Dylan, half-jokingly. 

During the recruiting process, Xanh said she clicked with Coach Hosch and former Titans assistant, Margo Dionisio, who is UC Irvine's head coach. "I liked the location. I spoke to some of the players – Elina Saksa and Linley Ooi – and just felt comfortable with program." 

The Titans were lucky to get Xanh at the tail-end of recruiting, Hosch said. 

"She checked all the boxes – a good scorer, a good swing and lots of experience. It's not that hard to pick out good players – it's more challenging to find someone who fits the team culture and has good character. Davina has been a perfect fit," she said. 

"At first, I wasn't sure she was excited to come to Fullerton. But once I met with her, I could see is reserved and stoic in nature, and those qualities are a big part of her strong play on the golf course," said Hosch. 

Moving more than 5,000 miles from home was daunting at first, Xanh said. "It was kind of a culture shock. It was a different lifestyle. And my schedule was completely different. Practicing three to four hours a day every day took some adjustment." 

Switching from British links to U.S. parkland courses was another challenge. "The courses here are very different. There's a lot of Bermuda grass, I'd only seen that once before, in Portugal," said Xanh.

 
During a vacation in Portugal, Davina Xanh checks out the southern coastal city of Albufeira. She is a 2-handicapper and played a year on the English Girls National Team. 

Her experience playing on British courses is a plus, said Hosch. "Xanh's ball flight is significantly lower. That's common for UK players because of the strong winds there. But she has adjusted to ensure her rollouts aligns with the holes." 

"Davina is gaining more experience at the collegiate level. Even with her spring slump, she is still leading our team in scoring average. I see her having more top-5 finishes next year," said Hosch. 

Xanh said she enjoys playing for Hosch. "She is super fair with her decisions. And she is very understanding and supportive. I am quite particular about a lot of things, and Coach Hosch lets me do my own thing." 

"Honestly, I usually don't walk with her in tournaments," Hosch said. "Davina knows what to do. You only have to tell her things once." 

Xanh, an economics major, quickly bonded with her teammate Landstrom, who hails from the coastal town of Snekkersten, about 23 miles north of Copenhagen. 

"We are both freshman from far-away countries in northern Europe, and we share close to the same values and cultures," said Landstrom. "Davina is my best friend here. She is fun to be around. An hour doesn't go by without us laughing about something." 

This type of camaraderie exists across the Titans roster, Landstrom said. "We have good team chemistry, and it shows on the course. We talk and laugh a lot." 

Xanh, who speaks Cantonese as well as English, describes her hometown of Weston-super-Mare (population 82,000) as a super-small town where everyone knows everyone while growing up. 

She played netball, field hockey and rounders – a bat and ball game – as a schoolgirl, but golf was always her No. 1 sport. 

Xanh first picked up golf clubs at age 3 and began accompanying her father Ching and her brother Dylan, who is two years older, to a driving range around age 4 or 5. 

Davina Xanh is joined by her brother Dylan, father Ching and mother Mai. She began accompanying her father and her brother to a driving range at age 4 or 5. 

"Davina first started with a junior golf club on Saturday mornings. Later, she played on southwest England regional teams," said Dylan, who is studying for a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Manchester. 

"She began playing in competitions, and by 11 or 12, you could see that she was a lot better than most girls her age. In fact, she was matching up with girls older than herself." 

A breakthrough came with her runner-up finish at the 2015 US Kids European Championships in Scotland. Playing in heavy winds, the 11-year-old Xanh scored 83-79-82 for a final score of 244. "It was my first big tournament result," she said. 

Davina Xanh competes at the 2015 Girls 11 and Under US Kids European Championships in Scotland. Her second-place finish there was a breakthrough, she says. 

The Burnham and Berrow Golf Club, just south of Weston-super-Mare, is Xanh's home course. When their schedules permit, she golfs there with her father and Dylan, who has a 1 handicap. Ching is a businessman and a chef specializing in Asian cuisine. Her mother Mai is a homemaker. 

The Old Course at St. Andrew's and Pebble Beach top Xahn's golfing bucket list. Her favorite professional golfer is Lydia Ko of New Zealand. "I like her swing and her steadiness." 

Xanh said her goal is to make her way onto the LGPA tour. If she ultimately succeeds, credit her mental toughness. 

"Davina is a perfectionist," said her brother. "She wants to win everything, no matter how big or small."