The Open Championship is golf’s oldest tournament and has a rich history. Thanks to the weather in Britain aces are tougher to come by than they are in other areas. These are the most notable holes in one at the Open Championship including every recorded ace since 2001.
Young Tom Morris – 1869 – Prestwick
Young Tom Morris had big shoes to fill as his Dad, Old Tom Morris, was a four-time British Open Winner. Young Tom did not disappoint, winning the event four times and hitting the Open’s first recorded hole-in-one at Prestwick in 1869.
Gene Sarazen – 1973 – Royal Troon
One of the greatest ambassadors the sport has ever known, Gene Sarazen was still playing majors into his 70s. During the 1973 Open Championship at Royal Troon, the golfing legend recorded a hole-in-one on the 8th hole at the age of 71.
Paul McGinely – 1996 – Royal Lytham at St. Anne’s
Paul McGinely, an Irish player with 10 professional wins in his career and his two career aces at the Open Championship. The first occurred at Muirfield in 1992 and the second came a few years later at Royal Lytham at St. Anne’s during the 1996 Open Championship.
Pierre Fulke – 1997 – Royal Troon
A Swedish golfer with three wins on the European Tour, Pierre Fulke was playing in his second Open Championship in 1997 when he aced the 16th hole at Royal Troon. The feat would not be enough for Fulke as he failed to make the cut.
Daniel Ollson – 1997 – Royal Troon
An outstanding Swedish amateur invited to play in the 1997 Open Championship, Daniel Ollson made waves with a hole in one on the fifth hole at Royal Troon. He did not make the cut at the event, but remains the most recent amateur to ace a hole at a major championship on British soil.
Dennis Edlund – 1997 – Royal Troon
Like his fellow Swedes Fulke and Olsson, Dennis Edlund would fail to make the cut at the 1997 Open Championship at Royal Troon. Despite that fact, we’re talking about all three of them nearly 30 years later as Edlund also hit a hole-in-one at Royal Troon, his ace on the 16th hole.
Frank Licklitter II – 2001 – Royal Lythem
The hole-in-one that Frank Licklitter II hit at Royal Latham in 2001 certainly wasn’t a cheapie as it came from 217 yards away from the hole. Licklitter II’s best performance at an Open Championship was a T4 in 1997. In 2001, he finished in a tie for 51st.
Ernie Els – 2004 – Royal Troon
A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, Ernie Els was still in his prime in 2004. He was playing great golf in 2004 and hung towards the top of the leaderboard throughout the tournament, thanks in part to a hole-in-one, eventually ending the tournament in a tie for fourth.
John Senden – 2006 – Royal Liverpool
Australian player John Senden moved to the PGA Tour after beginning his career on the European and Asian Tour. He would hit the second ace of the 2006 event on the 198 yard, 13th hole at Royal Liverpool and finished tied for 35th.
Richard Sterne – 2006 – Royal Liverpool
South African played Richard Sterne was successful on both the European and Sunshine Tours, winning six events in each of the Tours. He would also play in the Open Championship regularly hitting an ace in 2006 despite not making the cut.
Dustin Johnson – 2011 – Royal St. George’s
The Uber talented Dustin Johnson wouldn’t start well at Royal St. George’s in 2011, but he would storm back with an ace and score 68s on the middle two rounds. He would finish the tournament in a tie for second, three strokes behind Darren Clarke.
Tom Watson – 2011 – Royal St. George’s
Dustin Johnson’s ace at the 2011 Open Championship was exciting, but it couldn’t hold a candle to the one hit by Tom Watson on the 6th hole. Watson was in his 60s at the time and the legend would finish the event in a tie for 22nd place adding another career highlight.
Anirban Lahiri – 2012 – Royal Lythem
Royal Lythem has surrendered its fair share of hole in ones over the years and did so in 2012 when Anirban Lahiri aced the 9th hole. Lahiri is one of the best golfers to ever come out of India and would finish the event in a tie for 31st.
Daniel Brooks – 2015 – St. Andrews
Holes in one at St. Andrews, the birthplace of golf, are much harder to come by. The only player in recent years to accomplish the feat was Daniel Brooks, playing in the 2015 Open Championship. Despite the rare feat, he would not make the event’s cut.
Louis Oosthuizen – 2016 – Royal Troon
While the feat is rare, there are golfers who have hit an ace at more than one major championship. Louis Oosthuisen did it twice in one year, hitting a hole in one at the Augusta National in the Spring and repeating the feat at Royal Troon over the summer.
Emiliano Grillo – 2019 – Royal Portrush
The Royal Portrush course, found in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, held its first Open Championship since 1951 in 2019 and Emiliano Grillo gave the crowd a special moment with an ace on the 13th hole. Grillo would fail to make the cut.
Jonathan Thomson – 2021 – Royal St. George’s
Jon Thomson usually stands out on a golf course due to his 6 foot 9 height. He stood out for another reason in 2021, hitting a hole in one at the 16h hole at Royal St. George’s in 2021. He would finish the event in a tie for 53rd place.
Travis Smyth – 2023 – Royal Liverpool
An Australian player who has one event win on the Australasia Tour and one on the Asian Tour, Travis Smyth had a hole-in-one on the 17th hole. While he would fail to make the cut at the tournament, Smyth said he was happy he did hit one perfect shot.
Si Woo Kim – 2024 – Royal Troon
Si Woo Kim was having a wild third round during the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon with six bogeys, but he started righting the ship with a hole in one on 17. Kim would finish the tournament in a tie for 43rd place.
