Friday was cut day on Pinehurst No. 2 at the 2024 U.S. Open, and as Francesco Molinari approached the Par 3 ninth hole – his final of the day – he needed an ace to secure his spot above the cut line.
And so, a lot of folks thought Molinari was toast. The best he could do, many figured, was to hit a good shot onto one of the unforgiving dome-like greens designed by Donald Ross more than a century ago, then putt-in for a birdie.
Molinari swung with his 7-iron, then watched his ball sail toward the flag, and hoped for a bit of magic.
And he got just that.
💥 ACE ON THE LAST TO GET INSIDE THE PROJECTED CUT! 💥@F_Molinari with the ultimate do or die moment! pic.twitter.com/XoqmvaDNpi
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2024
Molinari, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, became the first player in U.S. Open history to make a hole-in-one on his 36th hole to make the cut right on the number. He also became just the fourth player to ace a hole during the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, joining Peter Jacobsen in 2005, Zach Johnson in 2014, and Sepp Straka earlier in the day on Friday. All four players secured their aces on hole No. 9.
Here’s a bit of what Molinari said afterwards:
“I don’t even know what to say. Just incredible. … It was the last chance to have a chance to play the weekend. … Standing on the 9th tee it was just put a good swing on it and see what happens. But the chances are incredibly small, so I don’t know what to say.”
Pinehurst No. 2 hasn’t been as kind to other golfers this past week. Tiger Woods missed the cut, and a trio of pros had a tough time with hole No. 5.