Amanda Doherty’s Ace Steals Show At KPMG Women’s PGA

Amanda Doherty didn’t just save her opening round at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She lit it up with one swing.

Playing Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, Doherty delivered the shot of the day Thursday when she buried an ace on the 161-yard, par-3 17th hole.

The 28-year-old pulled 8-iron, trusted the number, and watched - or mostly didn’t watch - as the ball disappeared for the first LPGA Tour hole-in-one of her career.

It couldn’t have come at a better time.

Doherty had been fighting her scorecard most of the day, opening with a rough stretch before grinding back into the round. The ace helped her finish at even-par 72, a respectable start in a major championship where big numbers are always lurking.

Her card was chaotic: one hole-in-one, three birdies and five bogeys. Not clean, but definitely memorable.

The numbers tell the story of a player who had to scrap. Doherty hit 7 of 14 fairways and only 8 of 18 greens in regulation, but she needed just 26 putts and managed to keep the round from getting away.

That matters, especially for someone who missed the cut in her first two KPMG Women’s PGA Championship appearances..

Doherty entered the week having made four cuts in six LPGA starts this season, including a tie for fifth at the Kroger Queen City Championship in May.

That result showed she could hang. Thursday’s ace showed she could create a major moment.

MORE: Travelers Championship Preview: Scheffler Hunts Clark Revenge

Better yet, the shot carried impact beyond the leaderboard. Her hole-in-one triggered a $20,000 donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through the CME Group Cares Challenge - Score 1 for St. Jude. It was the 12th donation of the LPGA season, pushing the 2026 total to $220,000.

For Doherty, it was one swing, one roar and one unforgettable major championship memory.

Join Our Roundtable Community For Free!

Share your takes, connect with our Roundtable writers, and talk sports with fellow fans. Download the free Roundtable App today and stay closer to the conversation.