Jenny Bae’s strong start at the LPGA Ford Championship by Wild Horse Pass could end up meaning more than a place atop the leaderboard. After making a hole-in-one during the March 26 opening round in Chandler, Arizona, Bae triggered a $20,000 donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through CME Group’s season-long charitable initiative.
Per the official announcement, the ace came on the 152-yard par-3 sixth at Whirlwind Golf Club, where Bae carded a 6-under 66 in the desert heat. The LPGA sophomore said she never actually saw the ball drop.
Instead, she realized what had happened only after the crowd and her caddie reacted. The moment gave her the second hole-in-one recorded on the LPGA in 2026, and the second time CME Group’s “Score 1 for St. Jude” program has generated a donation this season.
Bae’s round was about more than one swing. She also eagled the par-5 second and stayed within striking distance of the tournament lead on a day when scoring was unusually low at Wild Horse Pass. The tournament, held at the Cattail Course at Whirlwind Golf Club near Gila River Resorts & Casinos, has quickly become one of the LPGA’s most scenic stops, with players navigating desert conditions and temperatures that pushed toward 100 degrees.
“I don’t really remember. It’s all a blur,” Bae said of the ace. “I hit a 9-iron, and it came off the face really hot. The first thought I had was, ‘Oh, my God, it’s going over.’” A few seconds later, she heard the reaction from the gallery and her caddie. “He goes, ‘You got it in.’ I didn’t get to see it, which kind of sucks.”
The 23-year-old Georgia native said her comfort in the heat helped her stay composed as conditions intensified in Arizona.
“I don’t think the heat really affects me personally,” Bae said. “I’m always thinking about the present shot.”
She added that strong iron play and steady tee shots carried her through a round that briefly put her in contention alongside leaders, including Lydia Ko, who opened with a career-low 60 according to Sporting News, and Minami Katsu, who also surged up the leaderboard.
The CME Group Cares Challenge donates $20,000 to St. Jude for every LPGA hole-in-one during the season, turning one of golf’s rarest moments into funding for childhood cancer treatment and research.
