By Joel Beall
To all beleaguered golfers without a hole-in-one, make sure no sharp objects are around before reading the following.

According to Golf Monthly, 62-year-old Andrew Easdale registered an ace this summer at the Short Course at Trevose in France using…a putter.

Why the putter, you ask?

“I could claim that with links courses one ought to stay low when playing near the green and that, as the conditions were dry and fast-running, the putter seemed the best option,” Easdale told Golf Monthly. “But that is a retrospective justification of what was at the time just an impulsive act by a jolly frustrated golfer.”

Speaking of frustrated, that sound you heard was all ace-less hackers biting their flat stick in a fit of jealously.

However, there is a bit of sentiment behind the eagle. Easdale was undergoing cancer treatment at the time, the round his first play in months since his battle began. Moreover, he was at Trevose to scatter his mother’s ashes.

Easdale admitted he was tempted to give up golf, “because I know I can’t improve on that!” Yet Easdale says he has since “weakened” that reserve. And that’s a temptation all golfers, hole-in-one or not, can understand.

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There have been long shots on practice swings instead of live action, Nick Faldo mis-reading a situation involving Gary Woodland in a bunker, and a number of mispronunciations and straight-up mistakes on players’ names (there was a moment, hand to the golf gods, where Gary McCord said “Bruce” Koepka, followed by the crew debating why Koepka doesn’t get enough attention).

Among these faux pas was a cut to a roar, which had been heard minutes before, of Matt Wallace, who recorded a hole-in-one on Bellerive’s 16th hole.

ACE ?!@mattsjwallace notches a hole-in-one on the par 3 16th! #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/cW9DgFOeJy

— PGA of America (@PGA) August 11, 2018

One slight problem: CBS identified him as “Mike Wallace.” Not great, Bob. Er, Verne.

To the network’s credit, they later corrected the mistake. But the damage of the moment, and the day, had been done. Let’s make sure the video’s on mute if Wallace wants to watch a replay.

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According to the Zanesville Times Recorder, Bender, a 93-year-old Ohioan, made his first ace in seven decades of playing golf at Green Valley (Ohio) Golf Club.

“I’d come close to some hole-in-ones, but this one was level on the green before it curved towards the hole and went in,” Bender told the Times Recorder. “I was in awe watching it.”

And, according to Bender, it came in the final round of his life.

“I played a few more holes, but my hips were hurting and I had to stop,” Bender said. “It seemed the Lord knew this was my last round so he gave me a hole-in-one.”

Bender began playing when he bought a set of Wilson’s and a golf bag for $50. He got as low as a 3 handicap, although admitted his game has struggled as of late. Making his feat that much sweeter.

“I was lucky to play golf this long, but I never expected (a hole-in-one),” Bender said. “It was the last time I was able to play, and I think God had a hand in this. I loved the game and hate to give it up, but I can’t play forever.”

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Of course, there was Tiger Woods’ chip-in in 2005. Jack Nicklaus’ fantastic shot in 1986 en route to his back-nine charge. And more recently, Louis Oosthuizen’s pinball hole-in-one off J.B. Holmes’ ball, and Matt Kuchar’s ace last year.

Add Hoffman to that group, with an unlikely hole-in-one of his own. Hoffman has had a penchant for making noise at Augusta on Thursdays and Fridays the past couple of years. Now he’ll have a moment to remember on Sunday at one of golf’s most famous one-shotters.

.@hoffman_charley aces No. 16 for the first hole-in-one of the Tournament. #themasters pic.twitter.com/xezbJ0cslf

— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 8, 2018

Perhaps ironically, Hoffman’s playing competitor was Tony Finau, who had his own hole-in-one moment earlier in the week turn from memorable to forgettable at the Par 3 Contest, and his gruesome-looking injury. Hoffman’s celebration didn’t quite reach Finau levels of speed, but it was a pretty awesome reaction nonetheless.

Well done by Hoffman. That was quite the unlikely bounce off the fringe. And one of the highlights of the week.

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The 18-year-old added a career first hole-in-one to his already glittering collection of accolades at his home club during a friendly round on Friday.

Thomas conquered up the perfect shot with a seven iron from 172 yards on the water-guarded par-3 14th en-route to a causal three-under par 69 as he continues his buildup to the prestigious Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy.

Related: Thomas grinds ahead of Bonallack Trophy

“I did see it go in, it took one hop about two feet short of the cup and dropped straight in. As soon as I hit it…I hit a great shot and I thought it was going to be pretty close but didn’t expect it to go in. When the ball disappeared I was surprised how I excited I got. It was pretty cool,” Thomas told GolfDigestMe.com  

“I was super stoked I was able to get that hole in one, my first one ever. I’ve had a couple on the par 3 course bit it was finally good to get one on the main course.”

It comes after the now world amateur No.18 created history by becoming the first amateur to win a MENA Tour event in 2016 before sensationally equalling the world record for successive birdies in a pro event during his defence of the Dubai Creek Open title in September. He went on to finish tied second with former English Men’s Amateur champion Todd Clements in MENA event won by South African Mathiam Keyser.

Related: Watch Rayhan Thomas equal the a world record for successive birdies

Thomas’ next big examination is the Bonallack Trophy from March 8-10. He’s a key member of the Asia Pacific team and will line-up against reigning MENA Tour Amateur Order-of-Merit champion Clements who was deservedly confirmed in Europe’s lineup for the Ryder Cup-style matches at Doha Golf Club overnight.

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On Friday night, Faldo posted a video of him making a hole-in-one in Jim Nantz’s backyard. And as we know from a previous clip shared by the CBS announcer, those who make an ace on the replica of Pebble Beach’s par-3 seventh, get their names engraved on a plaque/rock that sits near the tee box. Check out Faldo’s shot, which came wearing jeans and a camouflage jacket and in front of a pretty decent gathering at “Casa Nantz,” as he calls it:

A moment unlike any other @GolfonCBS #CasaNantz Yes, this his backyard ! #HoleInOne pic.twitter.com/7C1ghoJ5J3

— Sir Nick Faldo (@NickFaldo006) February 10, 2018

With the ace, Faldo joins a select group that includes David Feherty, Brandt Snedeker, and another CBS announcer, Tony Romo. So congrats, Sir Nick. Now your golf resumé is truly complete. And now you and Jim have even more to talk about in the booth this weekend.

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Not long after Pat Perez had waltzed around the Majlis’ back nine in a scarcely believable 29 strokes to haul himself back into the €3 million European Tour event, Frenchman Alexander Levy went and did this:

Hole-in-One! ?@alexlevygolf at the fourth hole ? pic.twitter.com/KZb7IcQhA3

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 27, 2018

It was the second ace in as many days on the Majlis after Englishman Matthew Southgate binned his tee shot on the par-3 7th.

Related: Southgate’s perfect timing

Did we also mention Rory McIlroy’s five birdies in seven holes to set the halfway lead at -15?

Perez started the third round at -6 but got it to -14 with eagles on the 13th and 18th in a outward nine also sprinkled with four further birdies. It was breathless stuff that had the Desert Classic on 59 watch for the second time in three days after Jamie Donaldson’s opening gambit which eventually ended with a 62.

8 under par through 9 holes! Wow.

Pat Perez is on fire out there ??? pic.twitter.com/kuQcGEOLyS

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 27, 2018

A bogey at the first, Perez’s 10th, and a par at the short par-4 second slowed the PGA Tour drawcard’s momentum but Ernie Els’ 1994 Majlis course record 61, -11 under,  is still under threat.

Indeed, strap yourselves in sports fans. Moving day is off to a cracking start, especially with Rory only easing into his third round. The way things have started Saturday, anything could happen.

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By Kent Gray
Whatever Tiger Woods can nearly do at Torrey Pines, Matthew Southgate can really do at Emirates Golf Club.

The 29-year-old Englishman aced the water-fronted par-3 7th on the Majlis Friday morning with a nine iron – roughly 12 hours after Woods nearly holed out on the 16th hole of the South Course at Torrey in an eventual even par start to his PGA Tour comeback at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Here’a Tiger’s near miss in case you missed it.

WOW!

THAT close to a hole-in-one for @TigerWoods!#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/VfEpjdSq6A

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 25, 2018

Southgate’s perfect shot helped him forget a bogey start to his second round at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic, the start of which had been delayed by nearly three hours due to a blanket of heavy fog hovering over the European Tour venue.

It saw him move to -6 through 27 holes after his opening 68 and earned the world No.142 a Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m Master Chronomter timepiece from headline sponsors OMEGA. The fun didn’t stop there either; he went on to eagle the par 5 -15 hole to get to -3 for his second round and -7 for the championship with five holes to play.

Southgate was due a bit of luck after cruelly incurring a fateful four stroke penalty at the DAP Championship during last September’s Web.com finals.

Putting on the 15th at Canterbury Golf Club in Ohio, his ball was struck by a leaf that blew across the green, nudging the ball off line ever so slightly.

Southgate finished the hole, but he made a huge error in the process as he should have placed his ball back to its original location and replayed the shot without penalty. Instead, by continuing the hole, he was handed a four-stroke penalty – two for playing from the wrong spot and two more for signing an incorrect card.

Here’s the incident:

Golf is hard … especially when you're playing for a @PGATOUR card. pic.twitter.com/SoyWo6X01q

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) September 24, 2017

The unlucky break ultimately cost Southgate a PGA Tour card for 2018 but rather than cursing to the heavens and golf’s sometimes silly rules, it left him “embarrassed”.

“It was poor from me to not know the rules of a game I’ve played since I was two,” Southgate later told The Telegraph.

“I take full responsibility. ¬People say it’s bad luck but it’s not bad luck because I should have replayed the shot and could have made four. But I didn’t and it became nine, and that ¬became me missing my card. I’ve only got myself to blame. I’m not annoyed with anyone else.”

Overnight leader Jamie Donaldson, meanwhile, had stretched out to -12 through eight holes of his second round after his sizzling 62 on Thursday. He led by one from fast charging Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez who had birdied five times in an outward nine of 32.

The leaderboard will be complicated by days end due to the fog however with the marquee groups of Sergio Garcia-Henrik Stenson-Rory McIlroy and Pat Perez-Tommy Fleetwood and Thomas Pieters not scheduled to start their second rounds until 3.10pm and 3.20pm respectively.

That will see the cut-deciding second round spill over into Saturday and will force a big catch-up on moving day.

? Hole-in-One Alert ?@SouthgateMatt at the 7th hole with a 9-iron from 156 yards ?? pic.twitter.com/F4AM9XRQDF

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 26, 2018

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The 2014 Ryder Cup winning captain one-hopped a 9-iron into the cup on Trump International Golf Club, Dubai’s picturesque 17th hole during a corporate day for Emirates NBD on Sunday. Coincidently, it was a “Beat the Pro” hole which we guess the 50-year-old Irishman technically did.

“Today’s shot was 155 yards. The pin was on the left and the wind was helping from the right. I hit a draw with the wind with a 9 iron. It took one bounce and went in,” McGinley said.

Don’t feel too bad for McGinley whose last ace reportedly came during the 1996 the Cannes Open. Sunday’s perfect shot was the 14th ace of a career that includes nine pro victories – four on the European Tour – and that famous 10-foot putt to claim a half against Jim Furyk and clinch the 2002 Ryder Cup for Europe.

“If you believe in 13 being an unlucky number then it took me 20 years to move from 13 to 14. My first one was in 1984 and between 1984 and 1997, I had 13. “

The par 3 accuracy clearly runs in the family. McGinley’s brother Michael, a Dubai resident and +1 handicapper, incredibly had three in six days in 2015, one at Jumeirah Golf Estates (four iron on the 4th) and two at his then home Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club (with nine irons on the 5th and 8th in consecutive days).

The odds for such an achievement are said to be 75,000,000/1.

Michael McGinley poses in front of the DUbai Creek Golf & Yacht Club after his incredible feat of three aces in six days in early 2015. Image courtesy DCGYC.

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An ACE for Joost! #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/homFuSfYHY

— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) August 10, 2017

The old one-hopper into the hole is a pretty snazzy way to make an ace. Of course, any hole-in-one is special, but doing it on Quail Hollow’s new par 3, a hole which gave players fits on Day 1, was extra impressive. It was also the first ace in a PGA Championship since Tim Clark made one at Oak Hill’s 11th hole during the final round in 2013.

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