Two holes in one’s in second round
Two golfers walked away with an ace on the 9th hole during Friday’s second round of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst.
Francesco Molinari was feeling the pressure coming to his last hole of the day, and without a hole in one, it would have been his last hole of the championship.
Molinari stepped to the tee, needing the hole in one to make the cut, and he did just that. He told reporters that he wasn’t aiming for a hole in one. “You’re trying to hit a good shot. Like I said, you have a thought, knowing it’s the last chance you have. I just bogeyed 8. I was hoping I was able to par 8 and then having to make 2 at 9, with that flag, if you hit a good shot, you can get it within birdie range, but when I dropped a shot at 8, but then yes, 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,” said Molinari. “It was the last chance to have a chance to play the weekend. I saw we were still 61st, so hopefully we can sneak in the cut. Yeah, that’s golf in a nutshell.”
Molinari has a tie score of 57 + 5. Round one he shot 73 and 72 in the second round. He will tee off in round three at 8:55 with Brooks Koepka +5.
Earlier in the day, Sepp Staka got a hole in one on the 9th hole. “it was a tough start. No. 3 I hit the flagstick, bounced back in the bunker. Unfortunately made a triple with the back bunker shot. Bogey right after that. Things weren’t looking too good. Started playing a little better. Made the ace on 9, which was really nice for one just to make an ace in a major is pretty cool, but also for the score, to kind of (indiscernible) myself a little bit. I 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,” said Straka.
Straka secured the T27 position after two rounds with a score of +2. Round 1 he shot 70 and round 2 72. He will tee off at 1:07 p.m. with Brian Harman +2.
Written by Curtis Self
Photos ©USGA/MooreDailySports.com
