New Albany sophomore Mia Hammond makes cut, tied for 20th at LPGA Dana Open
Mia Hammond's LPGA debut isn't over yet.
The New Albany sophomore shot her second consecutive 3-under-par 68 on Friday to make the cut at the Dana Open in Sylvania. She is tied for 20th entering the third round Saturday at Highland Meadows, five shots behind leader Annie Park.
Hammond, 15, said her "main goal for the week was just to make the cut," and she did it as the only amateur in the field.
"It’s so amazing," she said. "I can’t even put it into words, honestly. It’s just a great week, just getting a feel for what it’s truly like out here (in a professional tournament). ... It’s completely different from everything that I’ve experienced so far."
There have been a few elements of familiarity, however. Hammond's father, Tom, is in his familiar role as caddie, and her mother, Terra, has been in attendance along with other family and friends and teammates from New Albany.
The other familiar things, according to Tom, have been his daughter's poise and "golf IQ." Outside of a few moments, he said, Mia has been locked in despite the environment and competing against professionals.
"As her coach, I know what she’s capable of," Tom said. "I see her play all the time, three or four days a week, so I’m not surprised with the scoring. Probably what I’m most surprised with and most impressed with and proud of is just her composure, the way she’s handled herself. She doesn’t seem to let the big stage intimidate her or make her feel like she doesn’t belong there."
Mia began Friday with a birdie on No. 10 to move to 4-under. She followed with a double bogey on No. 11, a par 4, but it would be her only below-par mark of the round.
She had birdies on the 17th and 18th holes — two of the three par 5s on the course — to make the turn at 1-under 36, then recorded birdies on Nos. 3 and 4 en route to 2-under 32 on the front nine.
“Today, I wasn’t as nervous (as the opening round Thursday), but the nerves hit me after the second hole until about the sixth hole," Mia Hammond said. "After the sixth hole everything calmed down and the round was steady after that."
Hammond had played Highland Meadows only once before practice rounds this week, shooting a 68 last September to win Toledo St. Ursula’s Arrow Invitational. While the course was about 5,200 yards in that event, it is 6,555 yards for the Dana Open.
The Arrow Invitational also was against high school golfers.
"Everyone’s mindset is completely different (at the Dana Open)," Hammond said. "The competition is much, much higher. ... I always seem to have one round that kind of just ruins the whole tournament and it’s just relieving to know that the biggest tournament I’ve ever played in my life I’ve done pretty well so far."
Hammond tied for fourth in the Division I state tournament as a freshman and averaged 69.3 per 18 holes. She earned her LPGA debut by shooting a 5-under 66 to win the Dana Open qualifier Monday at Stony Oak Country Club in Holland, a suburb of Toledo.
She won the girls 14-15 division of the 2022 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals in Augusta, Georgia, in April 2022 and in her first high school season won the district tournament and helped lead New Albany to third place at state.
Now, Hammond goes into the weekend within striking distance of winning a pro event. But finishing first is not her goal.
"(My goal is) just to go out and have fun," she said. "Obviously, (finishing in the) top 20 would be amazing, but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. Just to get the experience is truly all that matters at this point."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: New Albany sophomore Mia Hammond makes cut at LPGA Dana Open
