Three holes-in-one were recorded during the third round of the Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Denmark’s Emily Pedersen got the ace party started on Saturday, holing out from 96 yards on the par-3 4th hole with her 55-degree wedge. It’s the first hole-in-one Pedersen has recorded on the LPGA Tour since she made an ace on the 12th hole at Finca Cortesin in Andalucia, Spain, during the 2023 Solheim Cup, which was the second hole-in-one in the history of the biennial team competition.

While she didn’t expect to make an ace on the short par 3, the hole-in-one helped Pedersen keep her third round on track, as she made three bogeys on her last nine holes, ultimately finishing with a 1-under 71 on day three.

“I actually pulled it a little bit, but then it was on the line, and I knew it was going to be a good distance,” Pedersen said. “It was like the perfect 55 for me, and then I think it bounced once and went in. I couldn't see it from down there. Obviously, up around the green, people were clapping.”

Epson Tour Graduate Kristen Gillman followed Pedersen’s lead just a few groups later, making a hole-in-one of her own on the par-3 4th hole with a gap wedge. It’s the first ace that Gillman has made on the LPGA Tour since she carded a hole-in-one on the par-3 13th hole at LPGA International Busan at the BMW Ladies Championship in 2019, her rookie season on the LPGA Tour, an ace that won her a car that year.

“With the elevation, it was like 101 yards. I hit my gap wedge,” said Gillman of her ace in Malaysia. “It usually stops like 105, so I just took a little bit off that. I just watched the video. I couldn't see it because it's a little bit elevated, but I guess it took two bounces and went in. The crowd started screaming, so I knew it went in.”

Nine-time LPGA Tour winner Anna Nordqvist rounded out the trio of third-round aces. She also holed out on the 96-yard, par-3 4th hole with a gap wedge to record her first hole-in-one in an LPGA Tour-affiliated event since 2013. The Swede made the first ace in Solheim Cup history that year at Colorado Golf Club on the par-3 17th hole, dunking it from 187 yards with her 7-iron.

“The tee was moved up a little bit, so I think it played 100 yards today,” Nordqvist said. “I hit a little gap wedge in there straight at the pin. You can't really see it, so it was nice to see some spectators up there cheering for me. Obviously, been close for a couple of years now, so it's definitely nice to be able to make one.”

In honor of Pedersen, Gillman and Nordqvist’s aces, CME Group will make a $20,000 donation on behalf of each player to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as part of their CME Group Cares Challenge – Score 1 for St. Jude campaign. The challenge is a season-long charitable giving program that turns aces into donations with a minimum guaranteed amount of $500,000 going to St. Jude at the end of the 2024 season.

The three holes-in-one made during the third round of the Maybank Championship will see $60,000 donated, raising this year’s total to $480,000. While all three athletes were delighted with their aces on Saturday in Malaysia, it means even more to be able to contribute to childhood cancer research.

“It's awesome,” said Nordqvist. “It's nice to see they do things for a good cause, and if I can contribute, great. Obviously, I'm very excited about my ace.”

Pedersen felt similarly. “I made a hole-in-one last year as well, and I think I got this little plate from St. Jude's, and it was so fun,” Pedersen said. “It's like my favorite thing I got last year was that. We make a hole-in-one, and it goes to something great. It's just really cool.”

Gillman agreed. “I think that any way we can give back, I feel like that's something easy that we can do,” the University of Alabama alum said. “Hopefully, we keep hitting good shots and keep making holes-in-one so we can keep donating more money.”

Three Aces Recorded During Round Three of Maybank Championship

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