This year's U.S. Open has proven to be a challenging course for the field to handle. Sepp Straka sinking an ace could prove to be a major boon for his chances.
Straka sunk an ace on the ninth hole at Pinehurst Resort during Round 2, the first hole-in-one of the 2024 U.S. Open. His big shot came during what had been a challenging day for him as he triple-bogeyed the No. 3 and bogeyed both the No. 4 and 6 holes. He was 2 over through the front nine.
Just a few hours after Straka aced No. 9, Francesco Molinari accomplished the feat, too.
Few golfers have ever sunk holes-in-one at the U.S. Open, a major that rotates host sites throughout the years. In the history of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, only two golfers have sunk aces, and both came on the No. 9 hole.
Here's what you need to know about Straka and Molinari's shots and the history behind holes-in-one at the U.S. Open.
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Sepp Straka hole-in-one
Straka sunk a hole-in-one at the par 3, 194-yard No. 9 hole.
Ace alert! 🙌
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
No issue with the flagstick this time for @seppstraka. 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/8pySzBFpha
The ace was a nice change of pace for Straka. On the No. 3 hole, Straka's shot hit the flagstick on an approach shot and the ball caromed off and away from the hole. He wound up triple-bogeying the hole.
Now THAT is a tough break 😔 pic.twitter.com/qQAFchfHeo
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Francesco Molinari hole-in-one
A few hours later, Molinari aced the No. 9 hole in Round 2, which allowed him to make the 5-over cut line.
Francesco Molinari HOLE-IN-ONE to move on the projected cut line!! 🔥🤯
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) June 14, 2024
📺: NBC & @peacock | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/RkBNnCdZOe
His hole-in-one is just the fourth in history at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst. The shot sends him to the weekend's rounds.
U.S. Open holes-in-one
Straka's hole-in-one was the 52nd ace hit at the U.S. Open. It was also the third ace hit at Pinehurst, joining Peter Jacobsen in 2005 and Zach Johnson in 2014. With the three holes-in-one, Pinehurst now is tied for the course with the fifth-most aces, joining Bethpage Black and the Los Angeles Country Club.
Last year, there were three aces hit at the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club, which was tied for the second-most holes-in-one at a single U.S. Open in event history. It was the first time the event had ever been held at the Los Angeles Country Club.
Pebbles Beach Golf Links still holds the clear record for the course with the most U.S. Open aces as it has eight. Baltusrol Country Club has six, Oak Hill Country Club has five and Winged Foot Golf Course has four.
Here's a look back at the the other holes-in-one from the major.
Year | Golfer | Course | Round | Hole | Range (Yards) |
1907 | Jack Hobens | Philadelphia Cricket Club | 2 | 10 | 147 |
1922 | Eddie Towns | Skokie Country Club | |||
1931 | Leo Diegel | Inverness Club | 2 | 13 | 146 |
1936 | Zell Eaton | Baltusrol Country Club | |||
1954 | Dick Chapman | Baltusrol Country Club | |||
1954 | Johnny Weitzel | Baltusrol Country Club | |||
1956 | Billy Kuntz | Oak Hill Country Club | 11 | 142 | |
1972 | Jerry McGee | Pebble Beach Golf Links | 3 | 5 | 180 |
1972 | Bobby Mitchell | Pebble Beach Golf Links | 4 | 5 | 180 |
1975 | Pat Fitzsimmons | Medinah Country Club | 1 | 2 | 187 |
1978 | Bobby Wadkins | Cherry Hills Country Club | 1 | 15 | 208 |
1978 | Tom Weiskopf | Cherry Hills Country Club | |||
1979 | Gary Player | Inverness Club | 3 | 3 | 185 |
1980 | Tom Watson | Baltusrol Country Club | 1 | 4 | 194 |
1982 | Johnny Miller | Pebble Beach Golf Links | 2 | 12 | 205 |
1982 | Bill Brodell | Pebble Beach Golf Links | 2 | 5 | 180 |
1982 | Tom Weiskopf | Pebble Beach Golf Links | 4 | 7 | 120 |
1983 | Scott Simpson | Oakmont Country Club | 1 | 16 | 228 |
1984 | Mark McCumber | Winged Foot Golf Course | 1 | 10 | 190 |
1985 | Ben Crenshaw | Oakland Hills Country Club | 2 | 9 | 217 |
1989 | Doug Weaver | Oak Hill Country Club | 2 | 6 | 159 |
1989 | Mark Wiebe | Oak Hill Country Club | 2 | 6 | 159 |
1989 | Jerry Pate | Oak Hill Country Club | 2 | 6 | 159 |
1989 | Nick Price | Oak Hill Country Club | 2 | 6 | 159 |
1990 | Jay Don Blake | Medinah Country Club | 1 | 8 | 190 |
1991 | John Inman | Hazeltine National Golf Course | 1 | 4 | 194 |
1991 | Fuzzy Zoeller | Hazeltine National Golf Course | 2 | 4 | 194 |
1993 | Mike Hulbert | Baltusrol Country Club | 1 | 12 | 206 |
1993 | Sandy Lyle | Baltusrol Country Club | 4 | 12 | 206 |
1995 | Gary Hallberg | Shinnecock Hills Golf Course | 3 | 7 | 182 |
1998 | Chris Perry | The Olympic Club | 3 | 13 | 196 |
2000 | Todd Fischer | Pebble Beach Golf Links | 2 | 7 | 108 |
2001 | Phil Mickelson | Southern Hills Country Club | 2 | 6 | 174 |
2001 | Olin Browne | Southern Hills Country Club | 4 | 11 | 165 |
2002 | Shigeki Maruyama | Bethpage Black | 2 | 14 | 161 |
2002 | Andy Miller | Bethpage Black | 4 | 3 | 205 |
2002 | Scott Hoch | Bethpage Black | 4 | 17 | 207 |
2004 | Spencer Levin | Shinnecock Hills Golf Course | 1 | 17 | 179 |
2005 | Peter Jacobsen | Pinehurst No. 2 | 3 | 9 | 175 |
2006 | Peter Hedblom | Winged Foot Golf Course | 3 | 3 | 238 |
2010 | Thongchai Jaidee | Pebble Beach Golf Links | 3 | 5 | 181 |
2012 | John Peterson | The Olympic Club | 3 | 13 | 199 |
2013 | Shawn Stefani | Merion Golf Course | 4 | 17 | 229 |
2014 | Zach Johnson | Pinehurst No. 2 | 4 | 9 | 191 |
2019 | Rory Sabbatini | Pebble Beach Golf Links | 1 | 12 | 202 |
2020 | Patrick Reed | Winged Foot Golf Course | 1 | 7 | 165 |
2020 | Will Zalatoris | Winged Foot Golf Course | 1 | 7 | 165 |
2022 | Cameron Young | The Country Club | 2 | 6 | 165 |
2023 | Matthieu Pavon | Los Angeles Country Club | 1 | 15 | 125 |
2023 | Sam Burns | Los Angeles Country Club | 1 | 15 | 125 |
2023 | Matt Fitzpatrick | Los Angeles Country Club | 1 | 15 | 125 |
2024 | Sepp Straka | Pinehurst No. 2 | 2 | 9 | 194 |
2024 | Francesco Molinari | Pinehurst No. 2 | 2 | 9 | 194 |