After a life-altering stroke and years living with chronic illness, 23-year-old Daisy Kennedy is back on the leaderboard — and sharing her story for the first time.
When Daisy Kennedy stepped onto the first tee of the 2025 Bucks County Championship, it had been nearly five years since she’d played a full competitive season. What followed — a run of hard-fought matches and a win in the final — was more than a tournament victory. It was the return of a player who, after years of illness and uncertainty, is finally finding her way back to the game she thought she’d lost for good.
“I was down in every match,” Daisy says, “and I had to fight back in all of them. I think that’s what made it so special — it wasn’t just a win, it was proof I can still do this.”
Today, the 23-year-old is based at Beaconsfield Golf Club, plays off a +0.7 handicap, and trains daily — both on the course and in the gym — under coach Adam Hinkins. But her return hasn’t been about just performance. It’s been about health, identity, and the kind of perspective only real setbacks can give.
When Everything Changed
Daisy’s early career followed a promising arc: sport-loving kid, standout junior, and selection for the England Regional and National squads.
“I started playing golf because I already did every other sport — football, swimming, tennis, cricket,” she says. “My dad was watching the Ryder Cup and I said, ‘Can I try that too?’ He said, ‘Might as well.’”
But in 2018, just as her game was peaking, everything changed.
That summer, she began experiencing unexplained stomach issues. After multiple hospital visits, she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis — an inflammatory bowel disease that soon took over her life.
“There was a point where I couldn’t even get out of bed. I didn’t think much of it at first, but it just got worse and worse.”
Then, on Christmas Eve, while in hospital for a colitis flare-up, she collapsed.
“I had been telling my dad I felt like I could’ve played that day. Then minutes later, I couldn’t move the left side of my body.”
Daisy had suffered a stroke — later revealed to be one of several — and was rushed to Charing Cross Hospital for emergency treatment.
“I had to learn how to walk again. How to use my left hand. All I wanted to do was go home, but it was like fighting two battles: one with colitis, and another with my brain and body.”
Living with a Chronic Condition
Golf became an afterthought.
“I stopped playing for a long time. I tried coming back maybe six months after everything happened, but I couldn’t do it at the level I’d been at. I got frustrated and just walked away.”
Living and training with colitis is still a daily balancing act.
“There are so many things people don’t see — like planning meals before early tee times, or the fear of not being near a toilet. It’s not glamorous. It’s exhausting.”
She speaks candidly about the mental side, too.
“The physical stuff was tough, but the mental side of colitis was even harder. I couldn’t leave the house without panic. Golf — especially tournament golf — felt impossible.”
It wasn’t until 2024 that she began playing seriously again.
“I started healing myself naturally, came off all the medication, and really tried to understand what my body needed. It took a long time. But I’m in a much better place now.”
Finding Strength Again
That long return led to her 2025 county win — and a renewed sense of confidence.
“I’m not trying to chase what I used to be anymore. I’ve realised I don’t need to prove anything to anyone but myself.”
She now competes regularly and is ready to speak up — especially to raise awareness around chronic illness and women’s health in sport.
“Colitis is invisible. People don’t realise how debilitating it can be. If me talking about it helps someone else feel seen, then I want to do that.”
Daisy is also seeking sponsorship to help support her training and tournament commitments.
“The reason I’m sharing this now is partly because, yes, I need support. But also because I’m proud of how far I’ve come. I wouldn’t have believed this was possible three years ago.”
What Comes Next
Daisy’s goals are grounded and personal.
“I just want to keep playing, keep improving, and continue looking after my physical and mental health. I’d love to get some good results — but even just being back is a win in itself.”
She pauses before summing it up:
“Success means more to me now. It’s not about titles — it’s about everything I’ve had to overcome just to be out here.” If you had told me three years ago I’d be competing and winning again, I wouldn’t have believed you.”
