The 2024-25 high school sports year officially got underway July 29 with golf, which also will be the first fall sport to finish come mid-October.
Whether Dublin Jerome and Columbus Academy’s girls teams again stand alone as division I and II state champions, respectively, remains to be seen. But both perennial powers return most of their lineups from a year ago, and they will be tested repeatedly over the next several weeks as central Ohio looks to continue dominating the statewide scene.
A new individual champion in Division I also is assured after New Albany’s Mia Hammond forfeited her high school eligibility to pursue a professional career.
After Ohio State declined to continue as host of the state tournaments, the two girls events moved to courses outside of central Ohio. Division II will be Oct. 13 and 14 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, and Division I is Oct. 14 and 15 at NCR Country Club in Kettering.
Here are 12 central Ohio girls golfers to watch this fall:
Bella Anderson, Worthington Kilbourne
A junior, Anderson will seek her second Division I state tournament berth in three seasons. She tied for 15th at state as a freshman and placed 16th (78) at district last fall. A successful summer included one Southern Ohio PGA victory, second place at the Hudson Junior Invitational and a tie for fifth at the Coca-Cola Junior Championship.
Skylar Dean, Olentangy Orange
The senior and Ball State commit tied for second in both the Division I district (72) and state (143) tournaments a season ago, building on a regular season in which she was OCC-Buckeye medalist and averaged 72.2 per 18 holes. Dean, who also tied for 15th at state as a sophom*ore, shot a personal- and program-record 64 during the league tournament.
Elle Furrow, New Albany
The junior started this season in the top spot for the Eagles after Hammond’s departure, coming off a season in which she averaged 77.6 and tied for fifth at district (74) and 26th at state (157), all best among the team’s returnees. Furrow opened this season with a 73 in Gahanna’s Lady Lion Invitational on July 31 at Champions.
Andrea Golden, Bexley
The senior has steadily trimmed her average throughout her career, from 44.1 per nine holes as a freshman to 41 last season, when she earned her first Division I district tournament berth. Golden tied for third at sectional (81) and 39th (88) at district.
Eva Lim, Columbus Academy
The sophom*ore became the Vikings’ top player last fall in their repeat as Division II state champions. Lim averaged 73.6, including a round of 65, and tied Lakewood's Avery Thompson, a 2024 graduate, for both first at district (73) and second at state (150).
Anna Machamer, Canal Winchester
The senior and Ashland commit averaged 38.8 per nine holes a season ago and was two shots shy of a Division I state tournament berth, tying for 10th at district (76). Machamer and Youngstown State commit Hailey Boss (40.3 average) should contend for district berths or more again this fall.
Alexa Prettyman, Dublin Jerome
A senior and Kent State commit, Prettyman averaged 74.1 with 15 top-five finishes in 2023. She had 15 rounds of 75 or lower and tied for second place at state. She also was the only Ohioan to shoot under par in the Girls High School Golf National Invitational in July in Texas (tied for 31st, 1-under 215).
Ellie Ryu, Dublin Jerome
A senior and three-time state competitor who has committed to Rutgers, Ryu averaged 72.7 last fall and tied for 10th (149) at state. She won six invitationals, shot 75 or better 15 times and had four rounds between 66 and 69.
Meadow Tian, Olentangy
Having finished sixth in the Division I state tournament each of the past two autumns, shooting 147 and 145, respectively, this junior won five tournaments this summer between the American Junior Golf Association, GolfWeek and Southern Ohio PGA circuits. Tian, who also tied for 65th in the Girls Junior PGA Championship, averaged 70.7 in OCC-Buckeye play as a sophom*ore and tied for fifth at district.
Paige Weiss, Westfall
The senior and Marian commit tied for fourth (153) in last year’s Division II state tournament, capping a season in which she averaged 74.5, was Scioto Valley Conference Player of the Year and second in the Southeast District tournament. She shot 30 and 63 in her first two events of this season, the latter including a 29 on the back nine.
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Lydia Wigal, Granville
The junior is coming off a strong summer after leading the Blue Aces to their first Division I state tournament. She finished ninth at district (75) and tied for 35th at state (162). Among her summer successes was a win at the Naples Junior Open in Florida and a hole-in-one during a practice round in Kentucky.
Caroline Zeiger, Columbus Academy
A senior and the Vikings’ No. 2 player in 2023, Zeiger tied for eighth at district (83) and was sixth at state (154) and is one of three returning players in the top five this season. Zeiger averaged 77 per 18 holes last fall and shot a 71 to win the Blacklick Woods sectional.
dpurpura@dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio high school golf: Top girls golfers to watch in 2024
