(Reuters) – Ayako Uehara became the fourth golfer in LPGA history to record two hole-in-ones in the same tournament when the Japanese player aced the par-three eighth in her final round at the Canadian Women’s Open on Sunday. The 36-year-old had aced the par-three 11th hole from 158 yards in her third round and repeated the feat a day later, this time holing a seven-iron from 164 yards.
Another highlight of Uehara’s final round five-under 67 was a hole-out for an eagle from 150 yards on the par-four fourth.
“It turned out to be a really memorable tournament,” said Uehara, who finished a season-high tied for 10th at 12-under 276, 11 adrift of runaway winner Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand.
“I managed to shoot just as I pictured (on eight) and said ‘go in’, before the cheers from the gallery told me it had.
“I realised the second shot on the fourth also went in because of the cheers. I was ecstatic and played on with a desire to feel even more of that.”
Jo Ann Washam (1979 Women’s Kemper Open), Jenny Lidback (1997 Chrysler-Plymouth Tournament of Champions) and Laura Diaz (2014 Kia Classic) are the other three women to have achieved the feat. Ariya’s triumph was her fifth in four months after the Thai fired a final round 66 to double her overnight two-stroke advantage and ease to victory at the Priddis Greens course in Calgary.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by John O’Brien)
Reuters
