Pali High Grad Shoots Hole-In-One at Pebble Beach

Jared Rosen wanted to do something fun with the graduation money that he received from his grandmother. So he and Palisades High School teammate Kornelius Baliukonis drove up the coast to Monterey County for a round of golf at Pebble Beach, site of five United States Opens.

It is there, at around 8:15 Saturday morning, that the Palisades Highlands resident hit a hole-in-one at the par-three seventh hole--one of the most famous par threes in the world and one of the signature holes at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

"They assigned us caddies and mine [Richard] said to aim just right of the flag," Rosen said, reliving the moment. "I swung back and through and when I hit it I knew it was a good shot."

Noting that the distance from tee box to pin was 100 yards, Rosen used a 52-degree Titleist gap wedge to fire the ace--the first he has hit in the five years he has played the sport. The ball landed six feet from the flag and bounced once... right into the cup.

"It's downhill a bit, there's about a 10-yard elevation change and it's one of the larger greens on the course, but all of the greens are fairly small," Rosen said, describing the seventh hole. "If you hit it right or long you're in the ocean and if you hit it left or short you're in a bunker."

A marshal came out to greet Rosen and he was presented with a certificate and a flag resembling the one on the pole at the seventh green. What's more, his name was added to the register of people who have accomplished the feat.

"They have a book in the pro shop with everyone who has hit a hole-in-one," Rosen said. "It's neat that I'll be on that list forever."

Having hit his own tee shot short into a bunker, Baliukonis was sitting on the bench lamenting his misfortune when he heard the familiar "ping" of club hitting ball and looked up.

"I didn't think it was anything special, but I stood up when he saw it go in and he started screaming like crazy," said Baliukonis, who is flying home to Lithuania for the summer on Monday. "I guess you could say I'm a witness."

Baliukonis, a sophomore, tied for third place at the City Section Golf Championships at Griffith Park's Wilson Course in May. He carded a one-over par 73 at Pebble Beach on Saturday. 

The Pali High pair had booked a 6:20 a.m. tee time--making them the first group on the course. After his ace, Rosen excitedly called his father and also Pali High golf coach James Paleno to deliver the news.

On August 23, Rosen leaves for Harvard University, where he said he'll "probably" major in biology. He graduated Thursday with a 4.3 GPA, the eighth-highest in this year's senior class, and played all four years on the golf team.

Saturday's accomplishment not withstanding, Rosen said he's not good enough to make the golf team at Harvard, but he has quite a story to tell his classmates.

"The course totally lived up to my expectations after seeing it on TV and in video games," Rosen admitted. "It's well-designed, well-maintained and not easy at all. It's not a particularly long course, but what it lacks in length it makes up for with hazards, tricky course design and fast greens--the fastest greens I've ever played."