Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many golf courses across the country have installed foam or plastic slats within their cups so that players do not have to reach too far into holes to retrieve their golf balls. While that safety measure is important in this day and age, it cost Jordan Spieth an ace on the par-3 17th at Maridoe Golf Club in Texas on Thursday.
Spieth, who was playing with Tony Romo, saw his tee shot land in the cup for an apparent hole-in-one, only to see it deflect out thanks to a spacer and roll into nearby water.
Speith with an Ace or Double Bogey on 17? It sunk in the hole, bounced out (we believe 100% because of the spacer – see scuff marks on new ball) and rolled back in the water. Romo decided it could be counted as a hole in one, except for their bet. pic.twitter.com/NTHzWnXWlt
— Ryan Frazer (@AgoraGolf) April 30, 2020
“It never left the flag,” Spieth said afterward. “I knew it was going to land somewhere around the hole. It’s my first one in probably three or four years. I kind of had a three- or four-year streak where I had a few and I’ve been shut out for a while. I’m going to count it. It was one of those where it most likely would have stayed in. Hopefully it’s a good omen.”
Jordan Spieth on his clang-out hole-in-one: "Yea, I'm going to count it. … It was one of those that would have most likely would have stayed in." pic.twitter.com/OgAL9iscFY
— Golfweek (@golfweek) May 1, 2020
Romo, who saw what happened, let the three-time major champion count the shot as an ace. In addition to cup spacers, other safety measures at Maridoe Golf Club included no caddies and no rakes in bunkers.
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