Third time lucky for Si Woo Kim as he aces 17th hole at Royal Troon
Kim’s two previous attempts playing the 238-yard penultimate hole had resulted in a double bogey and a bogey.
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
South Korea’s Si Woo Kim gained his revenge on Royal Troon’s 17th hole in the third round with the first ace in Open history on the par three and the longest in major history.
Kim’s two previous attempts playing the 238-yard penultimate hole had resulted in a double bogey and a bogey but he arrived on the tee having birdied the 16th, his first since the short Postage Stamp eighth, but at seven over for the tournament.
He landed his tee shot short of the green and as it rolled up it tracked all the way to hole.
“My caddie told me ‘You’d better hit hard with a three-iron’ so I did and as soon as I made good contact I see the ball over the fringe (thinking) ‘That must be maybe inside 20 feet’,” he said.
“Then people are yelling at me as I didn’t realise the ball went in. It was amazing. I had plenty of holes-in-one in my life, maybe over 10 times, but I think this is the most memorable hole-in-one because it’s a major and The Open and I was having a hard time on the front nine.
“I was feeling terrible about my shots (at the hole) the last couple of days. I made double Thursday and I made three-putt again yesterday: finally I got the hole-in-one, so I think I like it now.”
The tradition after an ace is to buy drinks for everyone but Kim was not aware of that.
“I’ve got to buy Korean barbecue but it’s not my country so maybe I get fish and chips for my team,” he added.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.