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Francesco Molinari might have made the greatest ace ever seen at the US Open

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The Italian looked like he was going home at the halfway stage at Pinehurst No. 2 – before making something really special happen at his final hole

molinari hole-in-one

That’s one way to get into the weekend at the US Open. Francesco Molinari needed something very special at the final hole of his second round at Pinehurst No. 2.

And boy did he find it. The Italian was at 7-over-par standing on the tee of the 9th – two adrift of the cut mark.

But he hit the perfect shot at the 194-yard par 3. His 7-iron only just cleared the bunker, before hopping onto the green and winding its way inexorably into the bottom of the cup.

Molinari hole-in-one: “It was the last chance to play the weekend”

That took him to five-over-par – right on the number and into the final two days of the third major of the year.

He said: “We saw it go in. I think from where we were standing, it looked like it just carried the bunker, plus the greens are getting firm, so it was the ideal shot.

“Then it started tracking, was going to break left to right at the hole, and we were joking with Serg [Garcia] and how it looked and on a great line the whole way, but what are the chances really? I don’t even know what to say. Just incredible.”

He added: “It was the last chance to have a chance to play the weekend. I saw we were still 61st, so hopefully we can sneak in the cut. Yeah, that’s golf in a nutshell.”

Now have your say

Have you ever seen anything like that Francesco Molinari hole-in-one at the US Open? Let me know with a comment on X.

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About the author

Steve Carroll
Steve Carroll

A journalist for more than 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long.

A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A’s prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.

Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men’s Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.

A part of NCG’s Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He’d like to tell you he floats around 10. The reality is more like 13.

Steve plays at Sandburn Hall, in York, and is a country member at Close House in Newcastle. He has served on various club committees during his time in the game, and is the current Rules Secretary at Sandburn.

Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NCTJ exams at Darlington College of Technology. He began his career working on weekly papers in Newcastle, before joining the York Press in 2001. After five years as a news reporter, he joined the sports desk – specialising in horse racing and snooker – and was Digital Sports Editor when he joined National Club Golfer in 2016.

What’s in Steve’s bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; Caley 01T irons 4-PW; TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges, Odyssey 2Ball Microhinge putter.

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