Tiger Woods might soon be losing his golfing distinction as one of Special Olympics’ own gives a mouth dropping performance during Regionals at Hodge Park in Kansas City. On July 7, Jacob Sanger, 27, hit a hole-in-one with a driver and an unorthodox cross-over grip on his third hole: a 148 yard, par 3.

“It was surprising,” he says while looking back at that day. He and the group he was golfing with didn’t know immediately that the ball had gone in the hole. “We looked all around for it. I thought I had over hit it.” But then as Jacob, also known as “Miracle Man,” peered into that third hole, his ball was patiently waiting for him. “It went IN!” he yelled, immediately beginning a victory lap around the green, and proceeded to kiss the green for close to a solid minute. He then began calling the entire fan club to inform them of his miracle shot. When asked how he did it, Jacob explains that he “focused on the target and found the happy place.” Jacob finished his game that day with a score of 53, and received a gold medal.

The hole-in-one seems to have given Jacob instant fame. The next day FOX4 came and did a story on Jacob at Hodge Park (watch it here). He has also seen media attention from as far reaching as Honolulu to Detroit. Along with the media, Jacob has also received many personal cards, letters, emails, and phone calls all from people who wish to congratulate the “Miracle Man.” He even received a letter from Governor Nixon who was impressed by Jacob’s miracle shot.

Jacob made state history that afternoon as the first athlete to ever make a hole-in-one at a Special Olympics Missouri tournament. He has set a higher standard for Special Olympic golfers across the state, becoming a role model to many athletes who one day hope to take their own hole-in-one victory lap around the green. Jacob Sanger will go down in SOMO’s history as not only an outstanding athlete, but also a man who has paved the way for Special Olympics athletes everywhere to accomplish more than they ever dreamed possible.