KUALA LUMPUR: It was a day of aces during the third round of the Maybank Championship on Saturday, as three players scored holes-in-one on the 88-metre par-three fourth hole at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC).
The hole-in-one streak began with Denmark's Emily Kristine Pedersen, followed by American Kristen Gillman and Sweden's Anna Nordqvist, creating an unforgettable round.
This remarkable feat mirrors the 2022 JTBC Classic third round, where American Lilia Vu, Malaysia's Kelly Tan, and South Korea's Lee Jeong Eun each aced the third hole.
While these holes-in-one didn't bring personal rewards, they held great significance, generating charitable contributions.
Each ace activated a donation, raising US$60,000 (RM260,400) for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee, the United States.
Through the 'Score 1 For St. Jude' initiative, the LPGA Tour's main sponsor, CME Group, has pledged to donate this amount for each hole-in-one during the season.
With the three new aces, a total of 24 have been recorded this year, contributing to a donation total of US$480,000 (RM2.08 million).
A delighted Pedersen savoured the impact her ace had on the charity.
"This (ace) is number five for me, three in tournaments. I think it's very cool. It's still St. Jude's, right?" said Pedersen, who shot a 71 to end the day tied for 38th at five-under 211.
"I made a hole-in-one last year as well, and I got this little plate from St. Jude's, which was so fun.
"My favourite thing I got last year was that. We make a hole-in-one and it goes to something great. It's just really cool."