Dale Whitnell achieved a remarkable feat during the second round of the South African Open, making two holes-in-one in a single round. The English golfer, who claimed his first DP World Tour title at the 2023 Scandinavian Mixed, aced both the 179-yard 2nd hole and the 149-yard 12th at Durban Country Club. The odds of achieving this rare accomplishment are estimated at 67 million to one.
Whitnell’s round was eventful from start to finish. Immediately after his first ace, he followed up with an eagle, fueling an early surge. At one point, he had a chance to card a historic 59 but needed birdies on his final three holes to do so. That opportunity slipped away when he overshot the green on the par-four 16th. Attempting to chip in for birdie from an awkward side-hill lie, his clubhead slid under the ball, moving it only a few inches. He ultimately took a double-bogey six on the hole, finishing with a nine-under-par 63. This was a significant improvement from his opening-round even-par 72, which included a triple-bogey seven.
Reflecting on his round, Whitnell described it as a “weird feeling.” He acknowledged the rush of adrenaline from making two aces but focused on maintaining his composure. His scorecard included everything from bogeys and a double-bogey to three eagles. Despite the mixed nature of his performance, he ended the day just five shots behind the tournament leader, South Africa’s Shaun Norris.
While making two holes-in-one in a single round is rare, it has happened before. In 1971, John Hudson achieved the feat at the Martini International at Royal Norwich. More recently, Brian Harman recorded two aces during the Barclays tournament in 2015, a decade before he went on to win the Open Championship. In 2023, Frank Bensel Jr pulled off back-to-back holes-in-one during the second round of the US Senior Open in Rhode Island.
The South African Open wasn’t the only tournament delivering extraordinary moments. A day earlier, Jake Knapp nearly made PGA Tour history during the opening round of the Cognizant Classic at Palm Beach Gardens. The American started his round with five consecutive birdies and eventually signed for a 59. He had a chance to join Jim Furyk as the only player to shoot 58 on the PGA Tour but missed a 19-foot eagle putt on the final hole. His tap-in birdie secured his place in an exclusive club of players to shoot a sub-60 round. There have now been 15 rounds of 59 or better recorded on the PGA Tour, with 14 of them being 59s.
Whitnell’s performance in Durban, despite its ups and downs, stands as one of the most memorable rounds in recent memory. His ability to bounce back from mistakes while producing spectacular shots highlighted both the unpredictability and excitement of professional golf.
