Just a little over a day removed from a two-week European vacation, Long hit the links at Wasatch Mountain Golf Course to take two match play wins in convincing fashion. The former Lone Peak star defeated Hunter Gledhill by four strokes with three holes remaining in the morning round before taking an early five-hole lead over Reimi Bleyl after just eight holes en route to a 5&3 win to advance to the quarterfinal round.

“I wasn’t sure how it was going to be, but fortunately things worked out and I’m feeling really good out there,” Long, who arrived back in the states less than 24 hours before her 11am tee time during Monday’s opening round.

Long didn’t hit the range until a couple of hours before teeing off on Monday, but quickly found the form that she’s displayed so consistently throughout her golfing career.

“I guess I’m just really used to grinding,” Long suggested. “I’ve been playing seriously since I was 10 (years old), so I’ve gone through the process and did well out there today.”

Turns out Long’s process was disrupted pretty severely just recently by much more than a leisurely cruise to eastern Europe.

Following a promising sophomore campaign playing golf collegiately for BYU, Long was dealt a blow that forced her to sit out last season in its entirety. Due to experiencing upper nerve issues to her upper back, Long opted to redshirt for the 2024-25 golf season, taking almost a full 12 weeks off to recover from her debilitating injury.

“I basically didn’t swing a club from August of last year to December,” Long said. “I just chipped and putted, and eased back into it. Sitting out was really tough, but looking back, I think it was the best thing to happen to me mentally. I thought it was going to be really tough to sit and not compete for an entire year, but I was able to discover some new things and I’m feeling great now. It worked out well. … Life without golf actually isn’t the worst thing.”

It also aided her in her studies in taking on the rigorous academic curriculum of a business major with a particularly difficult junior core, which Long describes as “a beast.”

Overall Long has enjoyed her time at BYU immensely from both an academic and social aspect.

“I love BYU and there’s really no other school that can give me what BYU gives me,” she said. “I love that it focuses on the Savior and it’s just been an awesome experience.”

Long is looking forward to enhancing her BYU experience this coming year when her younger sister, Aadyn Long, will join BYU’s golf program and the two will become roomates. Aadyn Long battled hard in Tuesday’s competition, defeating both Kindra Hirasuna and Brinnley Bischoff by just one hole, respectively.

But future BYU experiences aside, both sisters are focused entirely on this week’s tournament, a competition Berlin Long came just short of winning just three years ago. Her good friend and BYU teammate, Apelila Galea’i won that year, needing 19 holes of competition to come out on top.

“That loss was tough and it’s definitely stayed with me, even though I was so happy for Apelila,” Berlin Long said. “This is a big one and it’s the one everyone wants to win. I won’t have many more chances, so hopefully I can get it done this week and come out on top.”

As for Berlin Long’s coming goals, they include achieving All-American status for the Cougars while completing her degree following what she hopes will be a Utah State Amateur Championship.

“I’m feeling great and really do feel like I’m playing some of the best golf now,” she concluded. “I’ve gone through some swing changes, and my body feels great compared to where I was at last year. So we’re feeling good and hopefully I can get it done this week.”

Match play for the Utah Women’s State Amateur Tournament concludes Thursday.