How is it possible that someone who has accomplished as much on the golf course as Lydia Ko has never had a hole-in-one? We're not sure. What we do know is that the 19-year-old star has incredible timing.
Ko picked the Olympics Women's Golf Competition to make her first-ever ace, knocking in her tee shot on the par-3 8th at Rio's Olympic Course on Friday. It was part of a front-nine 29 that vaulted Ko into gold medal contention.
Ko arrived in Rio as an overwhelming favorite, but sat six shots back after 36 holes. After her red-hot front nine, Ko pulled within two shots of leader Inbee Park, the woman who previously held the title of World No. 1 before Ko. That wound up being the margin heading into Saturday's final round.
You may remember Ko caddied for Kevin Na at the Masters Par 3 Contest earlier this year. When Na let her hit a shot on the final hole, she nearly jarred it.
Yet somehow, apparently, the golf phenom has never made a hole-in-one. Again, how is this possible?!
But there's a first time for everything, and for the world's best golfer, it was just a matter of time. Now we just have to see if like Justin Rose she'll be able to parlay an Olympic ace into Olympic gold.
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