During the first week of October, Molly Brown Davidson, Mia Hammond and I had the privilege of representing the United States National Development Program in its first-ever event. The three of us — along with coach Mo Martin and USGA’s Managing Director of Player Relations and Development Heather Daly-Donofrio — traveled up to Ontario, Canada, where we played against 21 other countries. Honestly, it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I’ve picked some of my favorite photos from the event and wanted to share how much it meant to represent the red, white and blue. Hope everyone enjoys!
Our Team Photo
First off let me introduce you to our team. From left-to-right is Coach Mo, Mia, Molly and me. I’ll never forget the feeling when I received the news that I would represent my country on this team. Once arriving in Canada (the first time for all of us!), it kind of hit us like, Whoa, we get to wear the U.S. uniform...and do it with each other?! It was truly special sharing this time with my friends and I’m beyond grateful to everyone who made this first USNDP team experience happen. Oh, and by the way, our outfits were amazing, but we wanted to take it one step further. Mia brought red, white and blue bracelets, which you can see in the photo, and I brought America-themed hair scrunchies. We truly had an incredible time.
The Meaning Behind My Ball Marks
I think you can tell how happy I was to be there! I’ve been working hard on my game and when I arrived at the course for the opening round, I was ready to get things going. I don’t get nervous, I trust what I’ve worked on and just go out and play the best I can! I think it has lot to do with the confidence I’ve gained over the past few years...and those two ball markers you see on my hat are a big reason for how I’ve progressed mentally. The one on the right is my ball mark from The Olympic Club, which is where I played in the U.S. Women’s Open as the youngest in the field at 14 years old. The one on the left is from Wake Forest, which is where I have verbally committed to play collegiate golf. I’m 16 years old, so I have a little while to go before I arrive in Winston-Salem, but I couldn’t wait to rep their colors! I cherish these two markers because they serve as reminders for what I have achieved in the past, while also representing my future. As far as which one I use to mark my putts, it’s funny...I usually use the Wake Forest marker with the “WF” side up for par putts but flip it over to the Demon Deacon logo for my birdie putts.
The Best Part About Being On A Team
This moment means so much to me! Molly, Mia and I had just finished our first rounds where we shot a 3-under par to take the lead in the team championship. Mia and me hugging here was just an outpouring of emotion since this was a day we had all looked forward to. Taking part in a team event like this — especially since it was the first team ever for the USNDP — created such a strong bond. This truly set the tone for the rest of the week. We had so much fun, and it meant the world.
How I Managed The Course
It was around 50 degrees when we teed off for the final round, which didn’t feel like what I’m used to back home in Florida! We were given jackets, hats and headbands, but I’m grateful I packed some extra clothes to stay warm (you can see them poking out of my sleeves!). The conditions were tough this round, and I ended up shooting 73. Before the championship started, I made it a goal of mine to work on course management, like taking 5-wood off the tee when driver wasn’t necessary which I have been working on with my coach Martin Hall. I also had been working on speed control and missing on the high side with my putting coach Mark Sweeney in the weeks leading up to the event. Speaking of coaches – you can see Coach Mo here in the background. I can’t express how meaningful she has been to the three team members. She would sprint — and I mean sprint — between holes to try and watch all our shots, and sometimes pop up out of nowhere to provide her support (kind of like in the photo above)! Heather always had a smile on her face when I looked over and saw her (I always smiled back!). I’m so lucky to have had both by my side, especially as I was playing for something much bigger than myself.
Representing Red, White and Blue
The day before I left for Canada, I had a very important appointment: get my nails done in red, white and blue. This photo was taken at the beginning of the week, and it gave me an opportunity to represent my country’s colors in a unique way. Before the championship started — and as you’ve seen in the other photos — Molly, Mia and I also put on face tattoos with flags, stars and fireworks. It seemed like a great idea until we tried to scrub them off—they just wouldn’t come off! It took almost a week until our faces were tattoo-free. Hey, maybe representing the United States is just ingrained in us!
