Page 38 - 2019 Western Amateur Championship Program

WGA_Program_2019_V3__ 6/13/2019 2:30 PM Page 36
COLE HAMMER FINDS PERFECT HOME
AT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS

world when television cameras caught
him, with tears in his eyes, praying on
the first tee.
But after a missed cut, it suddenly was
over. Somehow Hammer had to go back
to playing junior golf, only with a
mountain of expectations.

“I felt like I should win every
tournament because I had just played
with the pros,” Hammer said. “It was
a little bit unnerving.”
Hammer reached the Round of 16 at
the U.S. Junior in 2016 and ’17, and
was second at the 2016 AJGA Junior
Players at TPC Sawgrass.
Cole Hammer and gallery at Sunset Ridge Country Club. But it just wasn’t what Hammer
expected of himself, and he grew
Cole Hammer was 13 years old when because you’re so young. But when the increasingly frustrated. After all, he was
he first caught the attention of the time comes you’ll be ready.’”
supposed to be the next Texas great.
University of Texas golf program.
That time has come for Hammer, 18,
Hammer didn’t just win the 2013 Then came the injury. A bothersome
who began his freshman year at Texas
George Hannon Junior on the right elbow required surgery in
last fall. And after a tremendous season
Longhorns’ home course, UT Golf September of 2016. Doctors took
of amateur golf, highlighted by three
Club in Austin, Texas. He won it by cartilage from Hammer’s knee and
landmark victories, he is undoubtedly
holing out for eagle on his final hole to grafted it onto the injured elbow.
ready.
shoot 64 and finish seven shots clear of
“That was scary, because you don’t
the field. “Time flies,” said Hammer’s father,
know how it’s going to turn out,”
Gregg. “He’s grown so much.”
An invite to tour Texas’ golf facilities Gregg Hammer said.
quickly followed, and soon Hammer was Son of two club champions at River
looking at walls lined with All-America Oaks. Pupil of in-demand instructor Hammer was sidelined four months and
honorees and images of past Longhorn Cameron McCormick and renowned returned in February 2017 to finish
greats, names such as Crenshaw, Leonard sports psychologist Bob Rotella. Gifted third at the prestigious Jones Cup. He
and Spieth. Trophy cases were filled to with a catchy name. played well enough last year to earn his
capacity, including a piece of hardware way onto the U.S. Junior Presidents
that was relatively new: the 2012 NCAA Some might think it all came easy for Cup team.
title. Even Beau Hossler, then a highly the Houston-born prodigy. It didn’t. “That’s a great mark of someone that has
touted freshman, was there. good awareness of what they’re doing, to
MADE U.S. OPEN SPLASH
The visit made a lasting impression on AT AGE 15 where time off doesn’t build up as rust
Hammer, a wide-eyed eighth-grader Hammer arrived on golf’s biggest stage and they can hit their stride pretty
with braces. He made another unofficial quicker than most. At just 15, he shot quickly,” McCormick said.
visit to Austin later that year and was 8 under in his U.S. Open sectional Hammer continued to gain momentum
hooked. By the end of 2013, Hammer
qualifier at Northwood Club in Dallas as he adopted the claw putting grip and
verbally committed to the Longhorns.
to punch his ticket to Chambers Bay. added to his stable of influencers —
“I remember on one of his visits, we He played practice rounds with his Rotella and Dr. Troy Van Biezen, a
were walking around campus and I idols, including Jordan Spieth and personal trainer from Dallas. Rotella
pulled him aside,” said Hammer’s Patrick Reed. He had his own pre- strengthened Hammer’s mind, helping
mother, Allison. “I told him, ‘I know it championship press conference. And he unleash the confidence Hammer had
seems crazy to think of going to college stole the hearts of golf fans around the always possessed.

36 Western Amateur Championship History Point O’ Woods Golf & Country Club