Was this DP World Tour pro denied a hole-in-one by his own pitch mark?
By Matt Chivers
Everyone loves a hole-in-one. Especially when it is caught live by television cameras.
Rory McIlroy raised the roof last week at the Travelers Championship with his first-ever hole-in-one on the PGA Tour.
Nicolai von Dellingshausen thought he’d done just that in the first round of the Betfred British Masters at The Belfry, but the golfing gods weren’t smiling on the German.
Wait…what? 🤯
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 29, 2023
As close to a hole-in-one as you’ll ever get for Nicolai von Dellingshausen 🎯#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/StNmVmYXSI
His ball landed in front of the hole on the par-3 14th and hit the pin, the way many hole-in-ones begin.
But instead of spinning forwards and down the cup, von Dellingshausen’s ball appeared to stall in its own pitch mark in front of the hole – and agonisingly stayed above ground.
It would’ve been very appropriate for von Dellingshausen to make an ace on this hole, just as this week’s tournament host Sir Nick Faldo did at the Ryder Cup in 1993.
A tap-in birdie is always a happy consolation prize and von Dellingshausen followed this up with a birdie on the next hole too.
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
