‘Perfection’: South Korea’s Kim Si-woo makes historic 238-yard ace on one of the Open’s most menacing holes

CNN —

It had been a relatively unremarkable Open Championship for Kim Si-woo as he stepped up to Royal Troon’s notorious penultimate tee on Saturday. One perfect thump of his three-iron later, the South Korean made history.

The four-time PGA Tour winner struck the first hole-in-one ever recorded on the 17th hole during the major at the fabled Scottish course, acing from 238 yards to light up the end of his third round.

Nicknamed “Rabbit”, the par-three has garnered a reputation for being one of the course’s most menacing challenges across the 10 Opens hosted at Royal Troon since 1923.

Playing as the sixth hardest hole during the second round, a sharply sloping green guarded by four deep bunkers makes leaving with par “gold,” according to tournament organizers.

That was more than Si-woo had managed before Saturday, having double bogeyed and bogeyed the 17th hole across his opening two rounds. Imagine his shock then, when the shrieks of the crowds gathered by the green rippled back up the fairway.

“I went back to the bag and there were people yelling at me … I didn’t realize the ball had gone in,” Si-woo later told reporters.

“I’ve had plenty of holes-in-one in my life … but I think this is the most memorable.”

Kim had endured a mixed day before his ace.

It marked the longest hole-in-one in recorded history at the major (since 1980), according to golf statistician Justin Ray, bettering Frank Lickliter II’s 212-yard ace at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s fifth hole in 2001.

“That is perfection … what a treat,” three-time Open champion Nick Faldo cooed on the Sky Sports broadcast.

Shane Lowry of Ireland celebrates on the 18th green during day two of The 152nd Open championship at Royal Troon on July 19, 2024 in Troon,