01마지막 날 펼쳐진 짜릿한 '에이스' 불꽃쇼
미국여자프로골프(LPGA) 투어 아칸소 대회 최종 라운드에서 환상적인 홀인원 폭죽이 터졌다. 한국계 노예림(Yealimi Noh)과 일본의 사이고 마오(Mao Saigo)가 그 주인공으로, 두 선수는 대회 마지막 날 경기에서 각각 에이스를 터뜨리며 팬들의 환호를 이끌어냈다.
이날 최종 라운드에 나선 두 선수는 정교한 샷 감각을 앞세워 단번에 공을 홀에 집어넣는 진풍경을 연출했다. 한 라운드에서 두 명의 선수가 홀인원을 작성하는 보기 드문 광경이 펼쳐지면서 현장의 열기는 최고조에 달했다.
노예림과 사이고 마오가 선사한 짜릿한 연쇄 에이스 덕분에 아칸소 대회 최종일은 그 어느 때보다 화려하고 극적인 명장면을 남기며 막을 내렸다.
02Original (English) — LPGA
Jennifer Meyer is the Manager of Digital Operations. Jennifer has worked with the LPGA for more than a decade, working with the LPGA and Epson Tours to manage, develop, maintain, and update website content.
Yealimi Noh and Mao Saigo capped their final rounds at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G in dramatic fashion Sunday, with each golfer recording a hole-in-one at Pinnacle Country Club.
Noh aced the 136-yard, par-3 15th hole using a 9-iron.
"I think it pitched about five past the hole and I actually went to pick up my tee before it dropped," Noh said. "I was like, it actually looks kind of good. I was picking up my tee and saw it go in, so it was pretty cool. It was my first one this tournament ever."
The ace sparked a strong finish for Noh, who followed up with three consecutive birdies. On the day, she recorded six birdies, one bogey, and the hole-in-one.
"Oh, for sure. I just wanted to keep riding on the momentum," Noh said. "Had a great front nine and solid back nine."
Despite her late surge, Noh focused on maintaining composure.
"Just have to calm down and get back into the rhythm of hitting fairways and greens," Noh said. "Hit some good putts that just rolled in."
Saigo highlighted her final round in Rogers with a hole-in-one on the 159-yard third hole, using a 7-iron.
The ace anchored an eventful, 2-under 69 for Saigo on Sunday. Her final round featured four birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey. She hit 12 of 13 fairways and 15 of 18 greens in regulation during her final round to complete the three-day tournament at 205 (69-67-69).
Beyond the leaderboard, each hole-in-one triggered a $20,000 donation on the players' behalf to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through the CME Group Cares Challenge – Score 1 for St. Jude.
The season-long campaign converts every ace on the LPGA Tour into charitable funding for childhood cancer treatment and research. Noh and Saigo’s aces marked the 19th and 20th donations to St. Jude this season, pushing the total contribution to $380,000.