Nelly Korda make feelings clear on 2x LPGA winner’s ace at JM Eagle LA Championship 2025
Madelene Sagstrom holed her maiden tournament ace at the JM Eagle LA Championship 2025 on Thursday, April 17. The Swede made a hole-in-one on the par-3 ninth from 120 yards at the El Caballero Country Club, ending the first round of the competition. The two-time LPGA Tour winner, who had recently tasted victory at the T-Mobile Match Play in Las Vegas, opened the LA outing with a 7-under 65.
Nelly Korda dubbed the ace a “nice way to finish the round.” The World No.1 golfer was set to tee up when Sagstrom made the big hole. The 26-year-old said that she didn’t see the hole-in-one go in, but claimed she was the “first one to give her a high five”. Korda said she had to calm herself down as she was set to follow the 32-year-old.
The 15-time LPGA winner said it was “always super exciting” to make an ace on the last hole.
Speaking about Madelene Sagstrom’s ace at the LA Championship, Nelly Korda said, as quoted by ASAP Sports:
“Yeah, it was a nice way to finish the round, that's for sure. I didn't see it go in but I was the first one to give her a high five I think because I was next up. I was like, okay, now it's my turn to go, so I need to calm down… It's always super exciting to get to do that also on the last hole.”
Sagstrom’s ace helped her sit T4 on the LA Championship leaderboard at the end of Day 1. She ended up two strokes behind the leader, while Korda sat two shots further behind at T15.
Swedish star opens up on her ace at LA Championship
Madelene Sagstrom hole-in-one on the par-3 ninth from 120 yards at the LA Championship surprised many, including her. The Swedish golfer was ecstatic with the hole. Following the round, she admitted to being taken aback when the shot went it. The 32-year-old said she aimed for a “little lower wind shot” and “hit it really well.”
Sagstrom said, as quoted by ASAP Sports:
“It got really cold our last three holes so I was – I have the shot that I play, we call it a 2-2-2, and it's like a little lower wind shot. I'm like, you know, I don't think I can reach with my pitching wedge right now. Let's hit a little 2-2-2-9. It was perfect. I hit it really well. It would've been good anyway, but I was like, nope, it went in, and I was like, oh, did that just happen?”
She went on to state that she actually “got to see it go in” and threw her hands up in excitement.
Speaking about her celebration for the ace, the LPGA star added:
“I wish I was that athletic but I'm not. Well, I think I threw my hands up in the air and I was very excited. No, I don't know. It's weird because I actually got to see it. That's the best part. You get to see it go in.”
It is pertinent to note that Sagstrom came into the LA Championship at El Caballero Country Club on the back of a missed cut at the Arizona Championship. She now sits tied with three-time major winner In Gee Chun, trailing South African Ashleigh Buhai by two strokes, who shot 63. This is the best position the Swede has been in this season so far.