In the second round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, Sadena Parks birdied the par-3 ninth hole at Sahalee Country Club, her final hole of the day (having started her round on the back nine), to make the cut on the number.
She is the only Northwest native to make the cut at the championship.
Sadena learned to play golf at Classic Golf Club in Spanaway, Wash., about 30 minutes south of Seattle. She won two Washington State High School Championships and then played four years on the women's golf team at the University of Washington, being the first African American golfer to play at the school. She graduated in 2012.
"The gallery has been great," she said with a smile. "Once they realized I'm from here."
On the first tee of her first round, Sadena was introduced as being from Raleigh, N.C., as it says in the day's starting times sheet given to all spectators. She is currently living in Raleigh where she is working with an instructor on her game. She was given a polite round of applause by the small gallery, as they give to all the relatively unknown players.
But on the 10th tee of her second round (her first hole of the day), she was introduced as, "Now on the tee, from Puyallup, Washington, Sadena Parks," and was given an enthusiastic welcome from the gallery.
"It was awesome," she said.
In 2014, Sadena won twice on the Symetra Tour and finished in the top-10 on the money list, which earned her LPGA Tour membership for the 2015 season. She then finished 22nd in last year's KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
"Being from here, I've played Sahalee a few times," Sadena says. "I love it here. And I love being at home here in the Pacific Northwest. Everything about it, really. The people, the weather, the golf. It's going to be a great week."
Let's hope she keeps it up in the championship's final two rounds.
