Golf

Séamus Power makes back-to-back holes-in-one at Masters par-three contest

Irish golfer become only third player in history to get two aces in a row in pre-tournament competition

Séamus Power of Ireland celebrates a hole-in-one on the ninth hole at Augusta on the par-three contest. Photograph: Christian Petersen/Getty
Séamus Power of Ireland celebrates a hole-in-one on the ninth hole at Augusta on the par-three contest. Photograph: Christian Petersen/Getty
Thu Apr 06 2023 - 06:42

Ireland’s Séamus Power became just the third player to get a hole-in-one in back-to-back holes in the Masters’ par three-contest history on Wednesday, joining Claude Harmon (1968) and Toshi Izawa (2002).

Power’s first shot was downhill from 114 yards, the first ace of the day to considerable roars from the crowd. The Waterford golfer then landed his second ball on the ninth perfectly on the downslope and watched it roll back into the cup.

“That’s a dream come true,” Power said. “Honestly, to get one is special, but to get the second one was a bit surreal. But it was an absolute blast out there.”

World number one Scottie Scheffler actually hit his tee shot at number nine before Power, in the group ahead of him, retrieved his ball, so both balls ended up together in the cup.

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“That was pretty fun,” Scheffler said. “We were trying to make one all day. That was just, I guess, the slam dunk at the end was definitely very fun. The guys were pretty focused watching their shots, and they didn’t quite see it go in. They just heard the noise, and I was like, yeah, that went in. That was mine.”

[ Séamus Power interview: Irishman goes solo as he maps out his Masters strategy ]

Meanwhile, Tom Hoge will play the Masters this week trying to break a 60-plus-year curse.

Hoge won the pre-tournament contest, and no winner has ever gone on to claim the green jacket that week at Augusta National Golf Club.

“Just go out and try to play well,” said Hoge, who tied for 39th in his first Masters in 2022. “We have some crazy weather here forecast, so not really sure what to expect in that regard, but I guess good start here to the week today, so try to keep that going.”

Hoge, 33, captured the nine-hole contest with a six-under-par 21, the lowest score since Tom Watson won with a 21 in 2018. The event was last played to completion in 2019, as the Covid pandemic and inclement weather caused cancellations the past three years.

Hoge aced the eighth hole and made birdie on number nine to win by one stroke over two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and Kurt Kitayama.

“I made a few birdies early and then the hole-in-one on eight was cool to see go in,” Hoge said. “Just a fun day out here this afternoon with my wife caddying for me.”

There were five aces on Wednesday, for a total of 106 total since the event started in 1960.

Watson made a hole-in-one on number four, defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler holed out on number nine and Seamus Power made two, on numbers eight and nine.