“This hole is handing out Aces”: Matt Fitzpatrick scoring his first career ace on 15th at 2023 US Open makes fans go wild on social media
Englishman and defending U.S. Open champion, Matt Fitzpatrick, scored the first hole-in-one of his professional career on Friday, June 16. His was the third of the tournament so far and all of them have been achieved on the same hole.
Matt Fitzpatrick faced the 15th hole (sixth of the day for him) playing the round for par, after an opening round of +1. There, Fitzpatrick hit a shot with the necessary height and spin to land the ball about two feet past the hole. The ball continued a reverse motion that took it straight in.
It is the third ace of the tournament, all on the 15th hole. The previous ones were achieved during the first round by Sam Burns and Matthieu Pavon. It is the same 15th hole that, before the competition, had provoked cautious comments from players like Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa. Both warned that being a short hole (just over 100 yards and par 3), it could be difficult to face.
Matt Fitzpatrick's feat quickly sparked comments on social networks about the course. Many fans say it is an easy venue and should not have been chosen for a U.S. Open.
Here are some of the posts from fans about Matt Fitzpatrick's ace:
"This hole is handing out Aces good Stuff Matt"
@PGATOUR @MattFitz94 @usopengolf This hole is handing out Aces good Stuff Matt
"PGA championship was more like the open than the open this year."
@PGATOUR @MattFitz94 @usopengolf PGA championship was more like the open than the open this year.
"Mickey Mouse course"
@PGATOUR @MattFitz94 @usopengolf Mickey Mouse course
"Is it too early to call the choice of LACC a big joke?"
@usopengolf @MattFitz94 Is it too early to call the choice of LACC a big joke?
"Pretty sure I could break par at this HS Course"
@PGATOUR @MattFitz94 @usopengolf Pretty sure I could break par at this HS Course
"Mickey Mouse Us open"
@PGATOUR @MattFitz94 @usopengolf Mickey Mouse Us open
"The U.S. Open purists are gunna hate this"
@PGATOUR @MattFitz94 @usopengolf The U.S. Open purists are gunna hate this
"He didn't even watch it go in!"
@SkySports He didn't even watch it go in!
"Three hole in one's at the 15th. Magnetic force or what?"
@SkySportsGolf Three hole in one's at the 15th. Magnetic force or what?
"Turns out that Matt Fitzpatrick getting his braces off was the key after all"
Turns out that Matt Fitzpatrick getting his braces off was the key after all
Matt Fitzpatrick: Ace at the U.S. Open
A funny thing happened with this play by Matt Fitzpatrick. The Englishman did not realize what had happened because, given the position of the tee to the hole, he had no vision angle to follow the ball.
Only with the exclamations of the crowd, which became more and more deafening, did Fitzpatrick realize what he had achieved. That is why he was seen celebrating so effusively in the videos circulating on the Internet.
Fitzpatrick's was the 51st hole-in-one in U.S. Open history. It is also one step closer to the record for an edition of this tournament.
The most aces in a single edition of the U.S. Open is four, achieved in 1989, at Oak Hill Country Club. Curiously, on that occasion, all the aces were achieved on the same hole (6th), as is the case in this tournament so far.
After his hole-in-one, Fitzpatrick made a double bogey on the 17th hole. He is T35 at the second round of the U.S. Open, the third major of the 2023 PGA Tour season. His score is -1 when he is playing the 4th hole (13th of the day for him).