The biggest party in golf had reason to celebrate Friday.
Emiliano Grillo made a hole-in-one at TPC Scottsdale’s famed par-3 16th during second-round play at the Phoenix Open.
The Argentine stepped to the tee and lofted an iron shot from 155 yards away high into the air and directly into the cup. Grillo jumped in the air and hugged and high-fived his playing partner, Rafael Campos, and his caddie as the thousands in the stadium seating near the green erupted in celebration.
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Grillo became the 12th player to ace the hole since the Phoenix Open moved to TPC Scottsdale in 1987 and the first since Carlos Ortiz in the final round in 2022.
“It was perfect. Perfect number, just a full shot, pitching wedge,” Grillo told Golf Channel while walking up to the green. “It was a little bit of a delayed reaction because we don’t see it really well from [155 yards]. Just the crowd went nuts, so did I.”
Fans in the packed, three-story grandstands sent beer and other drinks flying onto the green. Tournament officials spent several minutes cleaning up the debris, raking bunkers and checking the green for damage, holding up the next group.
It was Grillo’s second career ace on tour, the other coming at the 13th hole at Royal Portrush in the 2019 Open Championship.
He finished with a 2-under 69 and was on the 2-under cutline when second-round play was suspended Friday.
Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.
