'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAb/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBP/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAhpAgH//EACAQAAEDBAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAwQABSFRBhIVM0H/2gAIAQEAAT8AhyrTH49cfJRZTiy1bFhWj9eVXeu26K7C2Sg2ynQcDn5X/8QAFxEAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECA//aAAgBAgEBPwDOVUo//8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAx/9oACAEDAQE/AEy//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Mia Hammond witnessed a rare achievement in her LPGA debut at the 2023 Dana Open, as she not only made the cut but also earned a berth to play this weekend in a professional event. Hammond, who qualified on Monday, shot back-to-back rounds of 68 at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio.
The 15-year-old's desire became a reality, thanks to her outstanding performance, and she voiced her delight.
“It’s so amazing, it’s honestly a dream come true,” Mia Hammond said. “I’ve put in a lot of work over the winter and beginning of the season this year, and it’s so great to see it finally pay off. I had a few rough tournaments here and there so just so relieving.”
Trending
Setting her sights on the weekend, the promising young golfer hoped to finish in the top 20 but stressed that the experience itself was the most essential component for her.
“I would say for now I’m going to set a goal as top 20,” she added. “If it happens to be better than that, then that’s great. I’m just here for the experience more than anything else. Playing on the LPGA Tour is a dream of mine in the future. So just getting a feel for what it’s actually like to be out here is more important to me.”
Hammond's remarkable statistics support her outstanding first performance. She hit 28 out of 36 greens and only missed six of the 28 fairways. She also exhibited significant power off the tee, averaging 265 yards.
“I’m just going to take it all in,” Mia Hammond said. “Spend time with the people that are here, make the best of it. I mean, it’s my first tournament, it’s the best experience, I’m just excited to be here.”
With the weekend ahead of her, Hammond stated her eagerness to seize the occasion and make the most of her time with fellow contenders. Because it was her first tournament, she was eager to drink in the experience and expressed her delight at being a part of such a famous event.
Mia Hammond's performance at the Dana Open 2023
Mia Hammond finished tied for 20th place in the Dana Open with an outstanding scorecard. She finished the tournament with an overall score of -6, demonstrating consistent play and competence. Hammond tied Aditi Ashok, Grace Kim, Stephanie Kyriacou, Yu Liu, and Jennifer Song with a total score of 136.
Mia Hammond got off to a fantastic start with a round of 68, which she backed up with another respectable 68 in the second round. Her outstanding performance emphasized her talent and commitment, establishing her as a worthy competitor in the competition.
