New York (AFP) – Frank Bensel Jr., a teaching golf professional in New York and Florida, made aces on back-to-back holes at the US Senior Open on Friday at Newport Country Club.
In the second round at the Rhode Island layout, 56-year-old Bensel struck holes-in-one at the par-3 fourth and fifth holes.
The National Hole-in-One Registry calculates the odds of hitting two aces in the same round as 67 million to one — much less doing it on consecutive holes, with back-to-back par-3s seldom seen on their own.
It had never happened before over 1,000 prior US Golf Association events over 129 years.
“First of all, I’ve played a lot of golf in my life, and just to see a hole-in-one in a tournament is pretty rare,” Bensel said.
“I’m out here trying to play well and make the cut, and at the time, it was pretty important for me to do that.
“So, the first one was great.
That got me under par for the day.
And then the second one, I just couldn’t believe it.
To even think that that could happen was amazing.”
No US PGA Tour player has had two aces in the same round since American Brian Harman, the reigning British Open champion, at the 2015 Barclays.
Bensel, who has made 14 aces over his lifetime, made seven bogeys over his final 12 holes and fired a four-over-par 74 for the second round to stand on nine-over 149 and a likely missed cut.
Bensel’s first ace came at the 173-yard, uphill fourth hole and 14-year-old son and caddie Hagen suggested a 7-iron, but Frank chose a 6-iron and put the ball onto the green but couldn’t see it roll into the hole.
He selected a 6-iron on the 202-yard fifth hole and saw the ball all the way as it landed right of the flagstick and trickled into the hole.
“This will be remembered obviously forever and ever,” Bensel said.
© 2024 AFP
