Liquor Booth Shot of the Game: Blue Devils’ Novosel records first hole-in-one

QUINCY — The moment after contact, Macomb’s Lily Vardaman called it.

“As the shot was in air, she was like, ‘Hole-in-one, baby!’” Quincy High School senior golfer Laci Novosel said. “It sounded good, which is why she said that. And it looked good.”

It turned out perfect. Last Saturday, playing in the Macomb Invitational at Gold Hills Golf Course in Colchester, Novosel recorded the first hole-in-one of her career on the par-3 16th. The ace helped her to a third-place individual finish as the Blue Devils won the team title.

Novosel’s hole-in-one is this week’s Liquor Booth Shot of the Game.

“As soon as it went in, I turned around and my jaw dropped,” Novosel said. “Everyone was screaming, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’”

It was part of a strong closing stretch for Novosel, who birdied Nos. 14 and 15 before the ace on No. 16. Because of the roll she was on, Novosel planned to keep the ball in play for the final two holes. At the urging of her father, George, she tucked the hole-in-one ball away for safe keeping.

“I was like, ‘I’m on fire,’” Novosel said. “My dad was like, ‘Put it away. You have to keep that.’”

Novosel parred the final two holes with a new ball.