Matti Schmid had made 111 career starts on the PGA Tour without ever recording a hole-in-one. That changed on Friday. According to the National Hole-in-One Registry, a PGA Tour ace comes roughly once every 3,000 shots. Safe to say, they don’t come around often. And yet, the 2026 season has already delivered its fair share of magic, with Jordan Smith recording the most recent ace at the Wyndham Championship. Now, Germany’s Matti Schmid has joined the club, adding another hole-in-one during the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

“Ace in Memphis 🚨 Matti Schmid records his first career ace from 173 yards @FedExChamp,” the PGA Tour shared the update on X. 

Schmid had flirted with the feat before, nearly acing the par-3 13th at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open and sticking his tee shot to 4 feet on the par-3 3rd at last week’s Wyndham Championship.

The ace came on the par-3 fourth during Friday’s second round. After opening his round with a birdie, Schmid stepped onto the 173-yard hole and needed just one shot to find the bottom of the cup. Immediately afterward, his joy was obvious. As commentators jumped in excitement, the 28-year-old started celebrating with high-fives and fist bumps with his team members. 

Friday’s turnaround was likely a welcome one, given how Thursday had unfolded. Schmid opened his first round with two bogeys on the front nine before a double bogey on the back nine sent him to a 3-over 73. But he responded in style on Friday. The ace had helped him climb the leaderboard, breathing new life into his hopes of a stronger showing.

A victory may still be a long way off, but the shot could provide Schmid with the spark he needs as he continues his pursuit of a maiden PGA Tour title, five years after turning professional in July 2021. What’s more, there’s no cut line in the tournament. This means if Schmid, making his 112th start this week, can continue such performance, he can still make it into next week’s field.

The top 50 finishers at the event will advance to the BMW Championship, which gets underway on August 20 at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis. Making that cutoff would mark a significant milestone for Schmid. The German entered the week ranked 69th among the 70 players still in contention for the FedEx Cup. A strong finish this week could push him into that top 50 and keep his playoff hopes alive.

Nevertheless, Schmid is not alone in finding the perfect shot this season. Jordan Smith, Matt Kuchar, Shane Lowry, and Chad Ramey are among the other PGA Tour players to have recorded aces in 2026. Still, one ace is often regarded as the most iconic of them all.

Tiger Woods’ hole-in-one on the 16th hole at the 1997 WM Phoenix Open

Few golf shots have changed the identity of a hole quite like Tiger Woods’ ace at the 1997 WM Phoenix Open. The moment came on the par-3 16th at TPC Scottsdale, a 163-yard hole that was already gaining a reputation for its lively atmosphere.

As Woods arrived at the tee on Saturday, the crowd was so loud that it took several minutes for things to quiet down. Woods eventually pulled a 9-iron and struck a smooth shot toward the flag. The ball landed on the green, took two hops, and dropped straight into the cup. 

What followed was an eruption so loud that longtime hole marshal Jock Holliman recalled feeling as though he were standing behind a 747 taking off. Friends several miles away reportedly heard the roar. The ace became a defining moment for the 16th. 

At the time, the hole had only five skyboxes. Today, it has 294, with massive stadium seating surrounding the green. 

Schmid’s moment may not carry the historical weight of Woods’ at the 16th, but its real value lies in timing, not theater. With two rounds still to play at TPC Southwind and no cut to survive, every stroke he gains now counts directly toward the field he needs to reach for St. Louis. Whether this becomes a genuine turning point or simply a memorable highlight will come down to how he closes out the weekend.