Watch: Kalle Samooja makes hole-in-one at LIV Golf Hong Kong, second in the day after Jaoquin Niemann
Kalle Samooja made his first-ever hole-in-one at this week's LIV Golf event in Hong Kong. The Finnish professional achieved this remarkable feat during the final round of the LIV Golf Hong Kong 2024 tournament on Sunday, March 10.
His exceptional shot occurred on the second hole, where he hit the ball 131 yards straight into the hole, resulting in an eagle. This was notably the second hole-in-one of the day, with Joaquin Niemann securing the first earlier in the tournament.
Samooja's memorable shot took place on the par-3 2nd hole. Following the incredible achievement, he celebrated alongside his caddie and fellow group players, Anirban Lahiri and Cameron Tringale.
The LIV Golf also shared a captivating clip of Samooja's jubilant celebration on its X platform (formerly Twitter) with a caption that read:
"THE SECOND ACE OF THE DAY 🚨 @KalleSamooja cards his first hole-in-one on LIV Golf 👏"
The final round of the LIV Golf Hong Kong tournament is still in progress. At the time of writing, Kalle Samooja has completed his game and secured a tie for 41st place with a score under 1. However, several golfers have yet to finish their rounds.
How did Kalle Samooja perform at the LIV Golf Hong Kong 2024?
Despite Kalle Samooja's remarkable hole-in-one achievement during the LIV Golf tournament, his overall performance was lackluster, marked by consistent struggles throughout the event.
Samooja commenced his tournament journey on Friday, March 8, starting from the 12th hole. Initially, he showed promise with four consecutive birdies and an additional birdie on the 17th hole. However, his game took a downturn in the final stretch, resulting in four bogeys and a final score of 1-under 69 for the round.
In the second round, Samooja improved, scoring 2-under with three birdies and one bogey. Despite a shaky start with a bogey on the 10th hole, he recovered with birdies on the following holes, ultimately finishing with a respectable score.
The final round saw a mix of successes and setbacks for Samooja. While he started with a promising birdie on the 12th hole, struggles ensued, notably on the 15th, where he shot a bogey. However, he bounced back with a birdie on the 18th hole.
Although Samooja's hole-in-one on the second hole was a highlight, it was overshadowed by subsequent bogeys and a double bogey on the fifth hole. Ultimately, he concluded the tournament with a score over par, landing him in a tie for 41st place.
It is important to note that Kalle Samooja debuted on the LIV Golf tour only in 2024. Before the Hong Kong event, he played at the Mayakoba, Las Vegas and Jeddah events. He finished 33rd at the season-opening Mayakoba tournament, 27th in Las Vegas and 47th at the Jeddah event.