Mia Hammond surprised nearly every person on the grounds at Highland Meadows Golf Club last summer.
Judd Silverman was not one of them.
The Dana Open tournament director already knew about the then-15-year-old’s prodigious talent. That’s why he gave her an exemption into the Monday qualifier at Stone Oak Country Club. And she made Silverman look like the smartest person in golf when she fired a 5-under-par 66 to qualify for her first LPGA Tour event.
It only got better from there.
Hammond finished tied for 26th after rounds of 68, 68, 70, and 72, the same four-day total as No. 1 player in the world Jin Young Ko.
“We just compare the resumes of the players, and hers was impressive,” Silverman said. “We were happy to provide her with the opportunity to play in the Monday qualifier, and then she just kicked in the door. Incredible performance, not only in the Monday qualifier, but my gosh, to step in into an LPGA tournament and make the cut and make 19 birdies and shoot six under par was so impressive.”
The week was life-changing for Hammond, who was already an accomplished player. In 2022, she won the girls’ age 14-15 division of the Drive, Chip, and Putt championship at Augusta National and finished in the top 10 of the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Last August, she tied for sixth at the girls' Junior PGA Championship.
“It was truly so amazing,” Hammond said about her week at Highland Meadows. “Just having all my family and my friends there supporting me, it was so fun to have them there with me.”
Hammond and her supporters will be back this year, as the Dana Open extended the 16-year-old an exemption into the field.
“It was unanimous,” Silverman said. “She’s such an impressive young lady. It’s not just her golf, it’s the way she carries herself. Such a classy person from a great family. It was an easy decision to provide her with that sponsor exemption.”
Hammond returns to a course that has seen her best golf. Along with her T26 in the Dana Open, she has won the St. Ursula Arrow Invitational at Highland Meadows the past two years, shooting a 68 in 2022 and a 60 — yes, 60! — last fall.
She won’t be defending that title in the fall, however, because Hammond forfeited her final two years of high school eligibility by signing a deal with Columbus-based Sterling Sports Management for name, image, and likeness representation. Hammond has support from Ping, Titleist, Adidas, and Greyson Clothiers.
Prize money cannot be awarded, but Hammond can accept fees for clinics and pro-ams. The rising junior is retaining her college eligibility, and she’s one of the most sought-after recruits in the class of 2026.
“She’s got a lot of good opportunities at the top programs,” said Hammond’s father and coach, Tom Hammond. “It’s a lot to break down and figure out. There are a lot of places she wants to go, but, unfortunately, you can only go to one. So it’s quite a process.”
Hammond closed her high school golf career in style, winning the state championship with a record two-day score of 4-under-par at Ohio State’s Gray Course. In the spring, she won the AJGA Junior at Canebrake Club in Alabama and finished second in the Dustin Johnson World Junior at TPC Myrtle Beach.
The decision to forego her final two seasons of high school golf might seem puzzling to some, but in the world of elite junior golf, the high school season isn’t a priority. College coaches recruit the AJGA circuit and other high-level junior and amateur tournaments.
“It was obviously hard to give it up [but] high school was more of an unserious thing to go and have fun with my friends,” said Hammond, the 204th-ranked amateur in the world. “I feel like I made the right decision for me. And moving forward, I think it was what’s truly going to help me get to that next level. It was just such a good opportunity, I honestly couldn’t turn it down.”
Ohio is one of 17 states that doesn’t permit high school athletes to participate in NIL. An OHSAA referendum to allow NIL failed 68 percent to 32 percent in a vote by member schools in May, 2022.
In March, Hammond was one of 10 girls named to USGA’s inaugural national junior team. They participated in a four-day training camp at Atlanta Athletic Club in May. The roster is re-evaluated annually by a selection committee, with selections being made in accordance with eligibility criteria and based on a variety of competitive factors including scoring, results, statistics, rankings, sportsmanship, and scouting.
Players will participate in bi-annual camps and compete internationally. The first match will take place this summer against Australia. U.S. team members will receive year-round support, including coaching, analysis, sports psychology, and nutritional guidance.
“It’s such a great experience,” Hammond said. “They have multiple tournaments set up throughout the year and we have different camps.”
The biggest opportunity of all will be her return to Highland Meadows and the Dana Open, a venue filled with positive vibes.
“Just being able to experience that again this year will be so cool,” Hammond said.
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