BELLEAIR, Fla. — Brooke Matthews’ mouth was agape as she walked off the 12th tee on Sunday at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.

The 27-year-old had just dunked her tee shot on the 143-yard par 3 at Pelican Golf Club with a 9 iron, what was her first-ever hole-in-one both as an LPGA Tour member and across the whole of her golf career. But that ace came with a bonus prize, one that few athletes will ever get to enjoy as the result of a hole-in-one – a two-year lease on a Lamborghini Urus, courtesy of Morgan Automotive.

“It was probably the craziest moment of my life, honestly,” said Matthews, who was still in disbelief after signing her scorecard. “It was 140 (yards). I had a 9-iron. It one-hopped on the left hill and went in, and I still can't believe it. That was my first ever hole-in-one, so it was a pretty special moment. And then, the chip in (for eagle on 14), I was like, ‘What's going on?’ I was really just trying to settle my heart rate. I was like, ‘I can't believe I have to play more holes.’”

The car wasn’t all she earned, though. Matthews will also see a $20,000 donation made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on her behalf by CME Group as part of their CME Group Cares Challenge – Score 1 for St. Jude campaign.

It’s the first time since first becoming an LPGA Tour member in 2022 that Matthews has gotten to contribute to the season-long charitable giving program that turns aces into donations for childhood cancer treatment and research, something that the Epson Tour graduate was delighted to add to the list of spoils from her week-long performance in The ANNIKA.

“That's great. That makes it even better,” Matthews said. “I feel like I can't wait to see it on film. It was just so exciting, and that's icing on the cake that it's going to help something, too.”

But maybe the most important goal that Matthews’ ace helped her accomplish on Sunday in Belleair, Fla. was qualifying for the CME Group Tour Championship. The Arkansas native entered The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican at 62nd in the season-long Race to the CME Globe, two places away from earning a spot in the field at Tiburón Golf Club and needing a strong showing at Pelican Golf Club to move up the point standings.

Matthews began her week in quiet fashion, carding an even-par 70 on Thursday and improving by one stroke on Friday with a 69, not exactly the hot and fast start she needed for the late-season push she was trying to make in the Race.

But Saturday saw Matthews throw everything she had at Pelican Golf Club, blitzing this week’s venue with a whopping 11 birdies en route to a 6-under 64, a third-round performance that moved the former University of Arkansas Razorback from T32 to T10 with 18 holes remaining in the penultimate event of the 2025 LPGA Tour season.

She recorded one bogey and three birdies on the front nine in her final round, two of which came back-to-back on the par-4 8th and par-3 9th holes, ultimately making the turn at 9-under for the tournament.

When she stepped up to her tee ball on the par-3 12th hole, Matthews was projected at 60th in the Race to the CME Globe at that point, right on the money to secure a highly sought-after spot in the CME Group Tour Championship field with seven holes remaining. Her hole-in-one further improved her position, bumping Matthews to 57th, and she climbed even further up the standings when she chipped in for eagle on the par-5 14th hole to move to 13-under overall.

One late bogey on the par-4 16th hole dropped Matthews back to 12-under, but when she parred out to post a 5-under 65 in the final round at The ANNIKA, the 27-year-old was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Thanks in large part to that pair of eagles, Matthews had actually done it, finishing 59th in the Race to the CME Globe and earning her long-awaited first berth in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

“It means a lot. I made the decision at the beginning of the week that if I made it or if I didn't, I was going to be okay with it, and I had a really good season and something to build off,” said Matthews. “Obviously, it's like the icing on the cake. Didn't really feel great out there off the tee, but I was proud of myself how I just kept going and trying to find it. When I hit a bad shot, I just played it and didn't let it take it into the next hole.”

Next week, Matthews will be one of 14 athletes competing for the first time at Tiburón Golf Club, and having never before teed it up in the CME Group Tour Championship, the Epson Tour winner might be feeling a little bit unsure of what to expect at one of the biggest events of the year.

But considering the fact that she made 14 birdies, an eagle and a hole-in-one over the last 36 holes at Pelican Golf Club to get herself into this prime position, Matthews just might be an athlete to look out for in Naples, Fla. with a $4 million first-place prize up for grabs.

First Ace, Two-Year Lamborghini Lease, Tour Champ Berth are Spoils for Brooke Matthews at The ANNIKA

Related Articles