SMCC's Finneran surprised by first career hole-in-one

Chloe Finneran approached the No. 5 green at Sycamore Hills Golf Club on Thursday and people began clapping. The St. Mary Central Catholic senior was confused. She had just bladed a 9-iron toward the green on the par-3 hole and wasn't particularly pleased with her effort. "I didn't hit the best shot. It didn't go high at all," Finneran said. "It bladed up to the green. We thought it went over the green and I was not looking forward to my next shot. "I was walking up to the green and one of my opponent's parents starting clapping. I didn't realize it until I got up to the green." Finneran didn't have to worry about a tough chip shot. Her Callaway golf ball was in the hole. "It hit the green and bounced two or three times, hit the pin and fell in," she said. "It's not a very easy par-3. It's kind of blocked out by trees and the green has a heavy slope from back to front." The ace was the first of Finneran's career. Like an old pro, she knew what to do with the ball. "I put it right in my bag," she said. "One of my opponents said, 'Put that in your bag right now.' My next couple holes weren't my best. I was a little excited." Finneran finished with a career-best score of 90 to finish fifth among individuals at the Fremont St. Joseph Invitational. A total of 14 teams and 70 golfers participated. Finneran posed for a photo and later got flowers from her grandmother. "My mom cooked a nice dinner for me and I got to see my nephew," she said. "It was a good night." Finneran, who works at Chick-fil-A and wants to study business or marketing in college, also is a member of the varsity cheer squads for football and basketball. "I tried a couple different sports but they weren't for me," she said. "My dad has always been a golfer and he let me use my grandma's old clubs. I tried golf and stuck with it. I really enjoy it." Blake Finneran, a standout golfer and multi-sport athlete at SMCC, is Chloe's cousin. Rich Finneran is Chloe's father and coach. "It's been a good experience; he's a good coach," she said. "I like it that he's on me about things and makes me work harder."