Julia Lopez Ramirez recorded her first career LPGA Tour hole-in-one Thursday, highlighting an eventful opening round at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give.

The 23-year-old Spaniard aced the 170-yard, par-3 13th hole at Blythefield Country Club. Facing a stiff crosswind, Lopez Ramirez opted for a full 7-iron—a decision she initially second-guessed before trusting her caddie's advice.

"It was blowing pretty hard down there," Lopez Ramirez said. "It was a left-to-right wind, and we got a number that was basically my full 7-iron. I was saying, 'Oh, maybe it's a six.' [her caddie] was like, 'No, no, hit the seven. This is the club.”

The strategic choice paid off perfectly.

"Pitch like two meters short, like the perfect fade. Pitch two short, another bounce, and rolled in," she said. "Throw the club up, hands in the air. I was like, no way."

The spectacular shot provided a major spark to an otherwise up-and-down morning for the tour sophomore. Lopez Ramirez carded a 1-under-par 71, balancing the ace and three birdies against a double bogey and two bogeys. She hit nine of 13 fairways and 14 of 18 greens in regulation, needing 29 putts to complete her round.

Beyond shifting her position on the leaderboard, the shot triggered a $20,000 donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital on her behalf. The contribution is part of the CME Group Cares Challenge — Score 1 for St. Jude, a season-long charitable program that translates tour holes-in-one into funding for medical research and treatment.

Lopez Ramirez's ace marks the 10th contribution to the program in 2026, raising the season's total donation amount to $200,000.

The strong start continues a solid sophomore campaign for Lopez Ramirez, who finished tied for 50th in her tournament debut last year. She has made nine cuts in 11 starts this season, headlined by a top-10 finish at the HSBC Women's World Championship.

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Julia Lopez Ramirez Aces No. 13 in Opening Round of Meijer LPGA Classic

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