Par 4 Aces on the PGA, LPGA Toursv

Robert Mehnert
Jul 27, 2017 · 2 min read

Robert Mehnert joined the Township of Teaneck, New Jersey, police force in 1994 and continues to serve as police sergeant. Beyond his professional activities, Robert Mehnert enjoys staying active by playing golf and attending sporting events with his children.

In the sport of golf, an ace, more commonly known as a hole in one, is an achievement that occurs when a golfer sinks their ball into the hole after just one stroke. As one might surmise, hitting an ace is easier on a hole with a shorter fairway, such as a Par 2 or Par 3. In fact, only one hole in one has occurred on a Par 4 hole at the PGA Tour level.

Andrew Magee achieved the feat at the 2001 Phoenix Open on the 17th hole. The hole measured just over 330 yards from tee to hole, and Magee was regarded as only a moderate driver. With this in mind, as well as an unfortunate double bogey on the 16th hole, Magee teed off before the group ahead had cleared the green.

In one of the most bizarre scenes in the history of modern golf, Magee’s shot sailed through the air, landed on the green, and bounded towards golfer Steve Pate. Pate jumped out of the way and warned the other golfers on the green, but Tom Byrum was in a crouched position measuring his next shot and could not move in time. Magee’s ball rolled between his legs, bounced off Byrum’s putter, and rolled eight feet into the hole.

Meanwhile, the first par 4 ace on the LPGA Tour occurred in 2016 at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic. It took more than six decades for Ha Na Jang to become the first female golfer to land a par 4 hole in one, but just two months for the second to occur when Minjee Lee landed a 276 yard drive on the par 4 16th hole at the 2016 Kia Classic.

Robert Mehnert
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