Frank Bensel Jr made history today by slamming home consecutive hole-in-ones on the 4th and 5th holes at the US Senior Open.
Bensel Jr, 56, defied the odds to make back-to-back aces during the second round at Newport Country Club, becoming the first player in any Tour-sanctioned event on record, according to the PGA Tour Champions.
The odds of making two hole-in-ones in a round are 67 million to one.
Ireland’s Seamus Power also carded back-to-back holes in one last year, but his achievement came in The Masters traditional par-3 contest rather than the main event.
Bensel Jr’s first ace came on the 184-yard par-3 4th, and with only one more swing, he saw his ball nestled in the bottom of a hole for a second time from 203 yards just minutes later.
Unfortunately, Bensel Jr followed up his remarkable run with four consecutive bogeys to eventually card a 4-over round, leaving him 9-over par and well outside the cut mark for the weekend.
Bensel Jr’s appearance at the US Senior Open is only his third on the PGA Tour Champions and his first since the 2021 Senior PGA Championship in 2021.
Speaking after his round, Bensel Jr said:
“It was unbelievable. It was the rarest thing you could ever imagine. Obviously, it’s never happened before. I’m so excited because these things are so rare, but also for my score, to get me to three under for the day, it was pretty amazing, too. Just so much fun and excitement, so that’s what it’s all about.”
While Bensel Jr’s chances of silverware are sadly over this week, he will undoubtedly have made memories that will last a lifetime and, in doing so, racked up a rather hefty bill in the bar.
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