Minji Kang’s steady climb from the developmental ranks to golf’s biggest stage found its latest signature moment Friday at Blythefield Country Club.

The 26-year-old carded the first hole-in-one of her LPGA Tour career during the second round of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, highlighting a 4-under-par 68 that kept her firmly in contention. Combined with an opening-round 68, Kang sits at 8-under through 36 holes, continuing a breakout stretch in her second season on tour.

The career first came at the par-3 15th hole, providing a massive spark after some early back-nine difficulties.

"My back nine I struggled on two par-3s before, but then I had a good shot with my 7-iron on that hole," Kang said. "Didn't really expect going in, but all the people on the back was shouting and was so good."

The ace sparked a blistering finish, as the Epson Tour graduate followed the hole-in-one with three consecutive birdies to close her round. Kang hit 12 of 13 fairways and 14 of 18 greens in regulation, needing just 28 putts and recording one sand save on a stellar day.

As the wind began to challenge the field late in the day, Kang credited her mental approach and familiarity with the course conditions for her spectacular finish.

"I was trying to be more patient, and I think that works pretty good," Kang said. "The wind started picking up on our back nine. I think was pretty similar wind as yesterday, so I was having similar club, and I was able to hit a better shot today."

The spectacular ace serves as a representation of Kang’s professional journey, one defined by persistence and structural growth on the Epson Tour.

Kang first earned her LPGA Tour card after a stellar 2023 Epson Tour campaign, finishing fifth in the Race for the Card standings. Though she missed out on a victory that season, her trademark consistency carried her through, racking up eight top-10 finishes and a season-best runner-up finish at the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship.

After using her rookie season to adjust to the rigors of the LPGA Tour, Kang ultimately returned to the Official Qualifying Tour in 2025 to successfully re-secure LPGA Tour status. That foundational grind is paying dividends in 2026, where her iron play and composure under pressure have visibly matured.

With the tournament leaders still on the course Friday afternoon, Kang’s 8-under total keeps her well-positioned for the weekend as she chases her first career LPGA Tour victory.

Beyond the leaderboard, the ace added a $20,000 donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital on her behalf. The contribution is part of the CME Group Cares Challenge — Score 1 for St. Jude, a season-long charitable program that translates tour holes-in-one into funding for medical research and treatment.

Kang’s ace marks the 11th contribution to the program in 2026, raising the season's total donation amount to $20,000.

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Minji Kang’s Second-Round Hole-in-One Highlights Strong Charge at Meijer LPGA Classic

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