Teen amateur tops pro field at Toledo Epson Tour event

By

While 21-year-old Lottie Woad made history Sunday, winning the Women’s Scottish Open on the LPGA in her first start as a professional, 17-year-old amateur Mia Hammond made some too, winning the Epson Tour’s Greater Toledo Classic, becoming the eighth amateur to win on the LPGA’s developmental tour. The last time it happened was five years ago.

Hammond is from New Albany, Ohio, two hours south of Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio. She was playing in her home state via a sponsor exemption. This 102-player event is now hosted by LPGA veteran Stacy Lewis and took the place of longtime LPGA event, the Dana Open. It also simultaneously runs a 36-hole LPGA Legends event with 42 players.

In opening with consecutive rounds of 66, Hammond did not make a bogey in taking the 36-hole lead. She was also fortunate that both rounds ended mere moments before play was suspended because of weather. During a Sunday 69, Hammond, a Duke commit for 2026, made two bogeys but rebounded with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th hole for the one-shot victory. She’s competed at Highland Meadows twice in the past, once for a qualifier and she tied for 26th place at the Dana Open two years ago as a 15-year-old.

“It hasn’t set in yet, but it’s unreal,” said Hammond, ranked No. 62 in the American Junior Golf Association rankings. “This week was a grind, I’ll admit, especially today, coming down the stretch. I’ve never cried like that on a course before, and it’s the most emotional I’ve felt in a very, very, very long time. First time I’ve cried happy tears, I’ll say that. It’s so surreal.”

A birdie on 15 on Sunday gave Hammond a two-shot lead but she bogeyed the 16th hole to only lead by one. Erika Hara, Yue Ren and Amanda Doherty each birdied the final hole to get into a share of the lead, but Hammond hit her approach to 45 feet on the par-5 and two putted for birdie and the win at 12-under-par total. Hara, Ren and Doherty all tied for second place.

“If you would have told me two years ago that I was going to win this event, I would have told you you were stupid and probably just walked away, to be honest,” Hammond said. “I’ve come a long way in those two years. I’ve matured a lot as a person. And it’s just super special to be back in this place and somewhere that means so much to me.”

Angela Stanford, the 2026 U.S. Solheim Cup captain, won the Legends portion of the event shooting a second-round 66. She topped Laura Diaz by making birdie on the second playoff hole to earn her fourth Legends title. Karrie Webb and Juli Inkster tied for third place.

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com