Ryan Fox is within striking distance after his first round at The PLAYERS Championship, largely because of the shot of a lifetime.
The 37-year-old knocked a hole-in-one on the 17th hole of TPC Sawgrass, the home of the famous island green, where the green is totally surrounded by water. (It’s technically a peninsula, due to the walkway in the back, but who’s keeping track?)
The pin was located in the front of the green, and Fox was aggressive. His ball checked a few feet past the hole and rolled back perfectly, dropping to the bottom of the cup.
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Ryan Fox of New Zealand celebrates after holing his tee shot on the 17th hole for a hole in one during the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 14, 2024, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
Fox became the 14th golfer to record an ace on the hole in the 50-year history of the tournament. Alex Smalley, Aaron Rai, and Hayden Buckley each did so last year.
It was actually the second-straight eagle for Fox, as he recorded a three on the par-five 16th hole. That made him the first player to ever go 3-1 on the 16th and 17th holes in the same round.
Fox started his round on the back nine of the Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. course. He was one-over through six after back-to-back bogeys.
Ryan Fox of New Zealand picks his ball out after holing his tee shot on the 17th hole for a hole in one during the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 14, 2024, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
But the consecutive eagles brought him right to three-under in the snap of a finger. Go figure, he bogeyed 18, so there were certainly a lot of shapes on the left side of his scorecard.
His second-nine was much more consistent, with eight pars and a birdie on the par-four 4th. That put him at -3 entering the clubhouse, and four strokes behind co-leaders Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele.
Ryan Fox of New Zealand acknowledges the crowd after picking his ball out after holing his tee shot on the 17th hole for a hole in one during the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 14, 2024, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
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No one recorded an ace on the hole from 2003 to 2015. Miguel Angel Jimenez had been the last until Will Wilcox did so in 2016. Including Wilcox, eight players have accomplished the feat – six had done so prior.
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