Englishman Dale Whitnell carded two holes-in-one throughout a once-in-a-lifetime spherical on day two of the South African Open.
The 36-year-old, whose DP World Tour breakthrough got here within the 2023 Scandinavian Blended, aced the 179-yard second in comfortable, calm situations on the Durban Nation Membership after which repeated the feat on the 149-yard twelfth.
It’s estimated the percentages of constructing two holes-in-one in the identical spherical are 67 million to at least one.
At one stage Whitnell, who instantly adopted his first ace with an eagle, wanted birdies at his last three holes to card a 59 however that quest fell aside after flying the sixteenth inexperienced.
In trying to chip in for birdie from a clumsy side-hill lie, the clubhead slid utterly beneath the ball and moved it solely a few inches and he took one other three pictures to rise up and down for a double-bogey six.
He signed for a nine-under 63, having shot a level-par within the first spherical.
Though the percentages of double aces are excessive, there have been plenty of cases of them occurring.
OTHER DOUBLE ACES
Fellow Englishman John Hudson registered two on the European Tour’s Martini Worldwide at Royal Norwich in 1971.
Brian Harman, who would go on to develop into Open champion in 2023, grew to become the third man to realize the feat on the PGA Tour with two aces at The Barclays in 2015, whereas final yr Frank Bensel Jr made back-to-back holes-in-one in the course of the second spherical of the US Senior Open in Rhode Island.
“I hit a flush seven-iron on the second and I didn’t realise it had gone in till down the underside they cheered,” Whitnell, who took 11 years to earn a full DP World Tour card after turning skilled in 2009, stated in his post-round interview.
“It’s a bizarre feeling. Clearly the adrenaline is pumping however it’s a must to focus in your job and I managed to do this right this moment.
“I’ve by no means had one in event play. I’ve had one in apply at Le Golf Nationwide in Paris however to have two in someday is fairly particular.
“I’ve had all the things right this moment: an air shot, two bogeys, a double, three eagles and are available out nine-under par so I can’t complain.”
