‘Perfection’: South Korea’s Kim Si-woo makes historic 238-yard ace on one of the Open’s most menacing holes
By Jack Bantock, CNN
(CNN) — It had been a relatively unremarkable Open Championship for Kim Si-woo as he stepped up to Royal Troon’s notorious penultimate tee on Saturday. One perfect thump of his three-iron later, the South Korean made history.
The four-time PGA Tour winner struck the first hole-in-one ever recorded on the 17th hole during the major at the fabled Scottish course, acing from 238 yards to light up the end of his third round.
Nicknamed “Rabbit”, the par-three has garnered a reputation for being one of the course’s most menacing challenges across the 10 Opens hosted at Royal Troon since 1923.
Playing as the sixth hardest hole during the second round, a sharply sloping green guarded by four deep bunkers makes leaving with par “gold,” according to tournament organizers.
That was more than Si-woo had managed before Saturday, having double bogeyed and bogeyed the 17th hole across his opening two rounds. Imagine his shock then, when the shrieks of the crowds gathered by the green rippled back up the fairway.
“I went back to the bag and there were people yelling at me … I didn’t realize the ball had gone in,” Si-woo later told reporters.
“I’ve had plenty of holes-in-one in my life … but I think this is the most memorable.”
It marked the longest hole-in-one in recorded history at the major (since 1980), according to golf statistician Justin Ray, bettering Frank Lickliter II’s 212-yard ace at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s fifth hole in 2001.
“That is perfection … what a treat,” three-time Open champion Nick Faldo cooed on the Sky Sports broadcast.
“He’ll frame the ball but he won’t frame the shirt,” he added.
Si-woo followed up his eagle with a closing par to card an even-par 71, keeping him at five-over overall for the week.
A mammoth 12 strokes behind clubhouse leader Shane Lowry before the Irishman teed off for his third round, the South Korean’s hopes of a first major title this week are all but over, but his hole-in-one lifted the gloom on a frustrating week.
“I was not doing very well, I was feeling terrible for my shot the last couple days,” the 2017 Players Championship winner said.
“Then finally I got the best golf shot I’ve ever had this week. That goes in and that makes it more special, especially at the major and The Open here.”
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