CINCINNATI, Ohio | Epson Tour graduate Yan Liu made the 15th hole-in-one of the 2023 LPGA Tour season on Sunday at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. The People’s Republic of China native aced the par-3 14th hole at Kenwood Country Club’s Kendale Course, holing out from 105 yards with a 54-degree wedge. It’s the first ace of the LPGA Tour rookie’s young career and she was surprised to see it go in, audibly saying, “Wow!” when the ball disappeared into the hole.
“To hole is 109, a little helping wind. I use my 54 club and hit like 100 shot. So very interesting,” said Liu, who became an LPGA Tour Member this season after finishing ninth in the 2022 Race for the Card on the Epson Tour. “Like I hit the green and a big bounce to left and then just hit the flag and going in. I saw it go in. I hear lots (of yelling). Hopefully have video.”
Liu’s hole-in-one is the third of the week in Cincinnati, Ohio as both Olivia Cowan and Jodi Ewart Shadoff made aces during the second round of the Kroger Queen City Championship. Today’s ace will contribute another $20,000 to the CME Group Cares Challenge – Score 1 for St. Jude, a season-long charitable giving program that turns aces into donations with a minimum guaranteed donation of $500,000 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which is leading the way in how the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and life-threatening diseases. Liu’s ace on Sunday raises the 2023 donation total to $300,000.
The Epson Tour winner was of course elated to make the second hole-in-one of her life in an LPGA Tour competition, but having a donation made in her honor to assist with childhood cancer treatment and research made her final-round hole out mean that much more special for Liu. “That would be awesome,” she said. “I use my job then I can help more people, and that's really awesome for me. I'm glad.”)
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