‘Better Than I Hit It’: Nick Saban Left Speechless by Teen Golfer’s Unbelievable Comeback After Shark Attack — What He Saw at the Regions Tournament Will Stay With Him
Nick Saban has seen a lot in his lifetime — national championships, Heisman winners, and unforgettable moments on the biggest stages in college football. But what he witnessed on the 17th tee during the Regions Tradition pro-am tournament in Birmingham earlier this year left the legendary Alabama coach and ESPN analyst speechless.
Standing beside him wasn’t another celebrity or former NFL star — it was 16-year-old Lulu Gribbin, a high schooler from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who’s become a symbol of resilience, courage, and quiet strength in the face of overwhelming adversity.
And when she teed off?
“It was unbelievable,” Saban said, still shaking his head in awe months later.
“She hit it better than I did — and that’s hard for me to admit. But it’s true.”
🦈 A Story No One Saw Coming
Gribbin’s presence on that golf course wasn’t just unexpected — it was, by all odds, nearly impossible.
Just over a year ago, in June 2024, Lulu was on a family trip to Florida when the unthinkable happened: she was attacked by a shark while swimming in the Gulf. The attack was brutal and sudden. She lost her left hand and right leg.
What followed was a nightmare — multiple surgeries, grueling physical therapy, emotional trauma, and the slow, painful road to recovery.
And yet, less than 14 months later, there she stood: prosthetic leg in place, golf club in hand, and a swing that turned heads — including Nick Saban’s.
🏌️♀️ “She Has Every Excuse Not to Play. But She Shows Up.”
Gribbin’s story has captured national attention, not because she’s asking for it — but because she continues to defy expectations.
Since the attack, she’s not only learned to walk again but has also returned to competing in multiple sports, including swimming and golf. Her swing, form, and confidence stunned those in attendance at the Regions Tradition tournament.
“She has every excuse not to play,” one PGA Tour staffer said. “But she shows up, works harder than most, and does it with a smile.”
And that’s what Saban saw too.
“She just steps up and hits it like nothing ever happened to her,” he said during a luncheon at the Nick’s Kids Foundation this week. “It’s one of those moments that sticks with you — not because of the golf swing, but because of the person behind it.”
💬 A Moment That Moved a Legend
Nick Saban has played golf with CEOs, celebrities, and fellow coaching legends. But his time with Lulu on the 17th tee clearly left a deeper impact.
At the Nick’s Kids event in Tuscaloosa, both Saban and his wife, Miss Terry, took time to highlight the importance of courage and community, pointing to Gribbin as a real-world example of what it means to overcome, endure, and inspire.
“She reminded all of us that day what strength really looks like,” Saban added.
✨ Bigger Than the Game
Gribbin’s story has become one of the most inspiring in Alabama and beyond — not just for sports fans but for anyone needing a reminder that even the most devastating moments can lead to incredible comebacks.
She’s received support from local communities, national media, and now from one of the most respected figures in American sports.
And while Lulu Gribbin may never lift a Heisman or hoist a national championship trophy, she’s already earned something greater: the respect of legends, and the admiration of anyone who’s witnessed her fight.
Nick Saban may be retired from football, but he’s still watching greatness unfold — and this time, it came from a teenage golfer with one hand, one leg, and the heart of a champion.
And like he said:
“It was better than I hit it.”
