Ashia's 5th Ace happened during a Junior Golf Association of the Philippines' Inter-School Tournament for Girls at the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo, Rizal. She used an eight-iron to ace the 110-yards 12th hole in Valley Golf.
Hitting a hole in one-in-one is so hard that the odds against one doing it is 1 in 45,000 for adults and professional golfers; and few people can actually do it.
This is such a sweet gift from God to our family and to Ashia who had fallen in love with golf at age 2, won a slot to represent the Philippines in a junior golf world competition by age 6; and made her first hole-in-one in San Diego, with me acting as her caddy.
This was the news item about Ashia coming out in major newspapers in April 22, 2009:
MUSLIM ACE FIRES 4th HOLE-IN-ONE
Ashia Sahi Nocum, the country's only Filipino-Muslim international junior golf competitor, scored her fourth hole-in-one in a practice round Friday for the qualifying tournament of the 2009 Callaway Junior Golf Championships at the Manila Southwoods golf course in Cavite.
The eight-year-old Nocum used a pitching wedge to drive the ball straight into the 7th hole of The Legends course, 70 yards from the tee off area which was adjusted for junior golf players participating in the three-day first leg of the Callaway event. Winners of the event will represent the country in the Callaway Junior World Golf Tournament in the US.
The ace by the incoming 3rd grader of the School of the Holy Spirit-Quezon City was witnessed by fellow jungolfers and siblings Luigi, Enzo and Annika Castro; and their coach Felix Fernando. Nocum is currently being trained by golf coach Juanito Pagunsan, father of Juvic.
Nocum, then 6, made her first ace during the practice round of the 2007 Callaway Junior World Golf Championships in Colina Golf Park Course in San Diego, California. Nocum landed 5th place in the world tournament.
Seven months later, Nocum aced the fourth hole at the Riviera Golf and Country Club Executive Course. She then used a three-wood when her ball hit the pin and landed straight into the par 105-yard hole.
About a month later on March 9, 2008, Nocum again aced Riviera’s Hole No. 4 during the Champions for the Future golf tournament. It was then that friends started calling her the “Muslim Ace”, a title she was proud of.
Ashia, who represents Zamboanga City and Sulu, has started showing interest in golf in her diapers at two years old; started hitting the driving range at four; and played in the fairways at five.
Nocum is the daughter of Armand Dean Nocum and Annora Sahi Nocum, a former reporter of the Philippine Inquirer and a Muslim entrepreneur, respectively.
Ashia's 5th hole in one was witnessed by fellow junior golfers Sam Bruce, Mika Fortuna, Sophia Blanco and their parents. My only biggest regret was not being there, busy as I was with work. Of Ashia's aces, I only witnessed the first; while my wife Ann saw the four others.
It is also regrettable that while Ashia's name is written in the "leader board" of those who made holes in one in the respective golf clubs where it happened, we also failed to document in video any of it.
But to give you an idea of the excitement of making a hole in one, I am posting Tiger Wood's 19th ace.
A wonderful day to all!