Former Georgia golf standout Sepp Straka notched his first career PGA Tour hole-in-one at the U.S. Open
Former Georgia Bulldogs golfer Sepp Straka scored his first career hole-in-one on the PGA Tour. Straka hit a hole-in-one on the difficult Pinehurst No. 2 course during the U.S. Open.
Straka nailed his hole-in-one during the second round of the U.S. Open on hole No. 9, which is a 194-yard par 3. Straka’s hole-in-one moved him to plus-2 overall. He followed up his hole-in-one with a birdie to get to plus-1. Straka is one of eight former Georgia golfers participating in the U.S. Open, which is the most of any college.
Here’s a look at Straka’s amazing ace, which should help him make the cut:
Golfweek wrote about an unfortunate shot Sepp Straka had earlier in the round.
“Straka was the recipient of the worst kind of bounce early in the round. His approach shot on No. 3 was good … too good,” said Jason Lusk. “It doinked off the flagstick and rebounded backward into a greenside bunker. From there Straka butchered his recovery, sending his bunker shot over the green and eventually making triple-bogey 7. Among the toughest of tough breaks.”
Straka’s hole-in-one helps him make up some of the ground he lost on hole No. 3.
Sepp Straka gets lesson in yin and yang of golf at Pinehurst.
The golfing gods taketh away, and the golfing gods giveth. Just ask Sepp Straka after his hole-in-one on No. 9 in Friday’s second round of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.
Straka was the recipient of the worst kind of bounce early in the round. His approach shot on No. 3 was good … too good. It doinked off the flagstick and rebounded backward into a greenside bunker. From there Straka butchered his recovery, sending his bunker shot over the green and eventually making triple-bogey 7. Among the toughest of tough breaks.
He faced no such bad bounce on No. 9. The two-time PGA Tour winner’s approach to the 194-yard par 3 bounced perfectly on the line and rolled into the cup just like a putt for the ace. It was the first hole-in-one at this year’s U.S. Open and the third in the Opens held at Pinehurst, along with Peter Jacobsen (2005) and Zach Johnson (2014). All three aces have come on the ninth hole.
“Yea, 7-iron. Perfect number for me,” he said. “Tried to land at 185. It was a really good swing. Middle of the face, went right at it. Fortunately rolled out and went in the hole.”
Playing with good friend J.T. Poston made it even more special.
“Had one of my best friends playing with me today, J.T. He was there for my ace at Augusta during the Par 3, as well. Our celebration this time was a little bit better.”
Straka opened with an even-par 70 in the first round. The triple bogey had knocked him back substantially, but the ace got the Austrian back to 2 over for the week.
Late in the day, Francesco Molinari would ace the ninth as well to become the fourth hole-in-one there in U.S. Open history.
The PGA Tour’s third signature event of the season has reached its midway point, meaning the 36-hole cut has been made at the Genesis Invitational in Pacific Palisades, California, at Riviera Country Club.
The top 50 and ties, plus anyone within 10 shots of the lead, earned Saturday tee times.
Patrick Cantlay, who last won at the 2022 BMW Championship, leads the way at 13 under, five shots clear of a group at 8 under that includes Jason Day, Luke List and Mackenzie Hughes.
Here are 7 players who are leaving the Los Angeles area a few days early.
I made birdie at 18, my pro was Sepp Straka and my team didn’t win.
KAPALUA, Hawaii – I made birdie at 18, my pro was Sepp Straka and my team didn’t win.
Now that I’ve gotten the answers to the three most common questions I’ve had from friends on hearing I played in the pro-am of the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions allow me to tell you what it was like playing in what just might be the best pro-am on the PGA Tour – especially now that the American Express and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am have been watered down to fewer days and no longer have their celebrity appeal.
Call it my first hot take of 2024 but the Sentry Pro-Am starts with some pretty electric ingredients – a star-studded field of winners and anyone who qualified for top 50 on the FedEx Cup point standings in the preceding year coupled with the other star of the show – Kapalua’s Plantation Course – in one of the most beautiful settings for golf and you have the makings of a delicious recipe.
Before we go any further, let’s just take a moment to reflect on how insane it is to think that regular golfers can fork up some coin – some serious coin that I hear starts around $10K and is dependent on the hospitality package you pick – but in doing so be allowed to play the same course that a field of 59 of the most successful golfers in the world from the previous season are going to play the next four days for $20 million and you’re going to play alongside one of them (actually two as of this year — more on that later). What other sport can you do that? [Editor’s note: Golfweek was a special invite by Troon Golf, which manages the courses at Kapalua, and Golfweek made an exception to its policy as it was the only opportunity to play the Plantation Course during our visit for a separate travel story that was part of the assignment. We made a charitable contribution to a local non-profit, Spare for Change, which recycles donated golf clubs and distributes them to new players.]
On Tuesday, beginning as early as 8 a.m., participants began showing up at the Kapalua Golf Academy to pick up their tee prize. Every pro-am gives out some swag but this was next level. Last year, your gift bag began with a portable speaker and a TaylorMade driver head cover. From there, it was a veritable choose-your-own-adventure. In one room, you decide whether to get fit for a TaylorMade Stealth2 driver or custom-made jeans from Delta. Then you explored the rest of the Academy where you chose two of the following from Hawaiian favorites – Tommy Bahama apparel, Maui Jim sunglasses, Olukai shoes and sandals and this year Aloha Collection Bags – or you could go on a whale watching expedition or snorkeling trip – and if you were a conservationist or just had a big heart you could plant a Koa tree in the Pu’u Kukui Preserve. In short, really nice mix of swag between golf stuff and stuff that screams Hawaii. The food truck parked outside was a nice touch. During the day, participants get to play in the Am-Am at Plantation’s Bay Course, an Arnold Palmer design which is every bit as scenic and possibly more fun to play. I had to skip this round to do my day job but everyone I talked to said it was the perfect warm-up for the main event.
Mark Rolfing served as emcee of the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions pro-am draft party at Kapalua’s Golf Academy. (Adam Schupak/Golfweek)
That evening, pro-am participants met at Taverna Restaurant and the Academy’s putting green out back with NBC/Golf Channel’s Mark Rolfing serving as the emcee of the Draw Party. I met my team for the putt-off. This is what sets the Sentry pro-am experience apart. Thirty-two teams of three players were broken into pods of four and you had a putting contest to determine the drafting order to select one of four pros. Each player got to hit one putt from about 40 feet and the closest putt from your team determined your pick. My pod of four pros consisted of: Jon Rahm, Max Homa, Mackenzie Hughes and Sepp Straka. Not too shabby. My team got to putt last but it didn’t give us an advantage because you didn’t know how good or bad the other teams had done, couldn’t take a practice putt and you had to face the other way while your opponents took their turn, so, no help with the break or speed. We could tell by the audible reactions that someone nearly holed it. When my first partner hit his putt barely halfway, I knew we were in trouble. My second partner hammered it and still was 8 feet short. It was all up to me and I did get it to the hole but yanked it 4 feet left. I figured, OK, we’re not getting Rahm but maybe Homa. Nope, we were dead last and ended up with Straka, the burly Austrian with the Georgia accent, who would go on to have a pretty sweet year that included a pick to Europe’s winning Ryder Cup team. As I told him the next day, we were picking him first had we made the putt.
You can’t do this putting contest format with a pro-am at a full-field event – it would take too long – but it’s perfect for this limited-field event and is predicated on golf skill not just luck – most draw parties tend to have a lottery process and often the marquee names are reserved for the bigger sponsors. The food at the party after the putt-off was prepared by two-time Maui Chef of the Year Taylor Ponte and was outrageously good and the bar was open but I assume that is standard fare based on attending a few of these shindigs along the way. ESPN’s Chris Berman joined me for a glass of wine while I enjoyed some tuna poke and having grown up on his nicknames, 2-minute drill of highlights and calls such as “Back, Back, Back, Gone!” that was a rare treat. He’s a regular and The Kid, Ken Griffey Jr., also held court adding just enough celebrity buzz to the occasion.
Night putting at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions draft party. Baseball legend Ken Griffey Jr. lines up his putt at the draft party. (Adam Schupak/Golfweek)
That night, I kept waking with anticipation to play in my first PGA Tour pro-am. That morning, I had a story to file so I wasn’t able to soak in the all-access pass at the range and the feast of food at the VIP tent but more than one tour pro who has had a beef with one of my articles along the way took great pleasure in critiquing my putting and short game on the practice green. I guess I had that coming to me, but for regular Joes I have to imagine it’s an unforgettable experience to rub shoulders with the pros.
Sentry tournament director Max Novena tells me they added a few new wrinkles to make the event even better this year. Most notably, with a larger field they instituted the nine-and-nine format popular at many other Tour pro-ams, where participants get to play with not one but two pros, who tag in and tag out at the turn. Pros and cons: if you don’t like your pro because he’s not helpful reading putts and disengaged, you may luck out with a more affable, charismatic pro who gets that you’ve ponied up big time for a special occasion. But you also don’t get as much quality time to create a lasting relationship, which can happen over 18 holes. I learned more about Straka, who had his twin brother caddying for him that week, during the wait on the tee than I ever have in one of his few press conferences in the media center. I had one beef with my pro-am experience – we basically played the red tees to avoid a six-hour round. That said, it was fun to hit the famous downhill 18th, measuring 677 yards for the pros, in two with a gap wedge. I usually leave out that we played the hole from 200 yards up when recounting this story.
When the round ended, we convened at a VIP tent and enjoyed a celebratory beverage or two. Not even two squalls during our round, the only liquid sunshine I experienced on my entire trip, could dampen my mood, and the rainbow over Kapalua made it worth it. Playing the course before the tournament only increased my appreciation for Jon Rahm’s closing 63 to erase a six-stroke deficit and win the Sentry on Sunday.
This year’s pro-am experience wrapped up with an awards party at Merriman’s Kapalua, which was my favorite meal of 2023. The setting on the point of Kapalua Bay looks like a movie set or a Zoom call backdrop – it has to be fake. But no, it’s so majestic that while my wife was snapping a family selfie, a guy to our right dropped to one knee and proposed to his girl. (She said yes!)
And if you ever get a chance to play in the Sentry Pro-Am you better do the same.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day. But it was conquered in three.”
That was one of many posts on the Ryder Cup Europe social media accounts to celebrate the team’s 16½-11½ win over the United States in the 44th playing of the biennial bash, held this year at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome, Italy.
The team celebrations with the Cup in the hours and days that follow are always fun to see, and European captain Luke Donald foreshadowed what would be a fun night in his interview with Golf Channel’s Cara Banks just minutes after Europe secured the Cup.
“We always do it right in Europe, we do it right,” said Donald with a smile. “We’ll have a few drinks.”
Did they ever.
The chants started with “Two more years!” for the captain and transitioned to cheers of “Ole! Ole! Ole!” and songs of victory on the team bus. Check out the highlights from Team Europe’s epic Ryder Cup celebrations.
Set your alarms because you won’t want to miss these final matches.
Set your alarms, folks. You don’t want to miss these final 12 matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup.
European captain Luke Donald and American captain Zach Johnson announced their picks for the 12 Sunday singles matches and a handful are appointment television, no matter the time.
Team Europe holds a 10½-5½ lead after the first four sessions, but the momentum appears to have swung back toward the U.S. after the Americans claimed Saturday fourballs, 3-1. The Europeans need four points to win the Cup, while the U.S. needs at least 8½ to retain.
Check out who’s playing who in the final 12 singles matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.
ROME – There was more blue on the board on Saturday morning.
Team Europe extended its lead in the 44th Ryder Cup to 9½- 2½ after Saturday morning’s foursomes session, winning three of the four matches. That included Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg trouncing the American team of Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka, 9 and 7, the worst loss in Ryder Cup history in any 18-hole match, regardless of format.
There was no let up in the European side after opening a five-point lead after the first day. They won three of four matches and seven of eight in the foursomes format. It ties the largest lead after three sessions since the Ryder Cup switched to the five-session format in 1963. (The U.S. led by seven in both 1967 and 1975.)
“Last night we talked about enjoying what we did yesterday but coming out and showing no mercy today,” McIlroy said. “Obviously the way Ludvig and Viktor started off and the way we started off, you know, that set the tone for the day again.”
It was a bloodbath for the Americans and for those fans who woke up early in hopes of seeing a valiant comeback, they were better off hitting the snooze as the Americans were thrown to the lions in Rome.
One of the major subplots at this week’s BMW PGA Championship is how the Team Europe players are faring.
Earlier this month, U.S. captain Zach Johnson locked in his 12-player roster for the upcoming 2023 Ryder Cup, and European captain Luke Donald followed by doing the same.
After the conclusion of the 2023 Omega European Masters the six automatic qualifiers – three from a world points list and three from a European points list – for Team Europe that are bound for Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy were confirmed. Donald then made his six captain’s picks, including a pair of surprise rookies.
As we’re counting down the days until the biennial event in Italy, one of the major subplots at this week’s BMW PGA Championship in Surrey, England, is how the Team Europe players are faring.
Euro team captain Luke Donald is also competing at Wentworth, as are five of his six vice captains. Vice captain Nicolas Colsaerts is doing the best out of this group, as he’s tied for 38th. Vice captains Thomas Bjorn, Francesco Molinari and Edoard Molinari all missed the cut. Jose Maria Olazabal isn’t playing.
After the conclusion of the 2023 Omega European Masters the six automatic qualifiers – three from a world points list and three from a European points list – for Team Europe that are bound for Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy were confirmed. Donald then made his six captain’s picks, including a pair of surprise rookies.
Of the 12 players on the roster, four will make their debut in the biennial event against the Americans, who haven’t won on foreign soil since 1993.
Get to know all 12 players and the captains who will represent Team Europe in the 44th playing of the Ryder Cup.
For some golfers, each birdie putt was a jolt of adrenaline while every bogey was a kick to the gut.
The season-ending Tour Championship features an exclusive field of the top-30 players on the FedEx Cup points list.
For those PGA Tour golfers hugging that top-30 cutline this week at the BMW Championship, getting to the season-finale at East Lake was stressful, with each birdie putt providing a jolt of adrenaline and every bogey feeling like a kick to the gut.
Sunday was once again a rollercoaster of emotions for those players angling for one of those coveted tee times at the 2023 Tour Championship, where the winning prize is $18 million in bonus money.
It made for a fascinating few hours of television on CBS.
Fans enjoyed watching Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick and Max Homa battle for the win while also keeping tabs on the likes of Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, Sahith Theegala and Sepp Straka, who were all battling to extend their seasons.
Here’s a closer look at the race to East Lake, where ultimately just one golfer played his way into the top 30 but several others walked a tightrope over the final 18 holes at Olympia Fields outside Chicago.
