Olson Makes Historical Hole-In-One

SARTELL, Minn. (9/06/15)—Emily Grace Olson made a historic splash to start the 2015 season.

Olson became the first player in program history to score a hole-in-one in a collegiate tournament when she fired an ace in the second round of the St. Benedict Fall Invite on Sunday. Her hole-in-one helped her lead the Cobbers to a tie for eighth place in the final team standings at the meet.

Olson finished with a two-day total of 174 (90-84) and was in 37th place in the final individual standings while Concordia carded individual round totals of 362 and 353 to end the weekend at 715 as a team.

Olson's historical moment came on hole No.11 at Blackberry Ridge GC. The hole is listed as playing 140 yard but playing into a fierce headwind, Cobber head coach Duane Siverson said it was playing more like 165-170 yards. Olson used a hybrid club for the memorable shot and the ball never left the pin during its entire flight.

"As soon as she hit it you could see that it was right on line," said Siverson.

Siverson added that he told her it had a chance to go in when it was half way to the hole.

The ball landed on the green and rolled right toward the hole. The drama took even longer to unfold as the ball appeared to hang on the lip of the cup as the wind held the ball out of the hole. It took several seconds before the wind let up and the ball to drop into the bottom of the cup.

"At first I thought it was going to hold right on the edge of the cup and not drop in," commented Siverson. "I told her that it was unbelievable to get that close and not go in but then the wind died down and it dropped in."

"It was a very special moment," Siverson added.

Olson's teammate Hayley Johnson was playing behind Olson's group and watched the entire scenario play out.

"We didn't know the ball had gone in the hole until the people up by the green started going crazy," said Johnson.

Not only was it the first hole-in-one for a Cobber golfer during a competitive meet but it was also Olson's first-ever hole-in-one.  

Johnson was the No.2 golfer for the Cobbers over the weekend. She carded rounds a pair of rounds in the 80's (89-86) and finished one shot behind Olson in the final standings.

Erin Pennington was third on the team at 182 and Tiffany Swanson came home with a two-day total of 184 to complete the top 4 for CC.

WHAT'S NEXT:  Olson will be looking to continue her early-season success when Concordia plays in the Bethel Invitational at Oak Glen GC on Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept. 13.