Englishman Dale Whitnell may well toast his good fortune in the clubhouse after making two holes-in-one at the DP World Tour’s South African Open at the Durban Country Club on Friday.
Whitnell had never made a hole-in-one in tournament play, but aced the second and 12th in his second round, both par threes, in a rollercoaster 63 that leaves him on nine under-par for the tournament, five shots behind clubhouse leader Shaun Norris (64) from South Africa.
Play was suspended late on Friday due to poor light, with several players still to complete their second round.
South Africa’s Dylan Naidoo carded a superb 61 that included 10 birdies and an eagle, and is in second place, one shot behind Norris.
The United States-based National Hole-in-One Registry says the odds of two in the same round are 67 million to one.
Whitnell, ranked number 545 in the world, is the second player in DP world Tour history to complete the feat after Australian Andrew Dodt at the Nordea Masters in 2013.
He is also the second Englishman after John Hudson bagged remarkable aces in consecutive holes at the Martini International at Royal Norwich in 1971.
“I birdied the first and then hit a flush seven iron on the second and didn’t realise that it had gone in until down the bottom (at the green) they cheered, so that was lovely,” Whitnell said.
“I was five under through three (holes), which I have never done before, and then managed to get another hole in one at the 12th. It was bizarre.
“I had everything today. An air shot, two bogeys, a double bogey, three eagles and I come out nine under par, so I can’t complain.”
The course was under water after heavy rain on Wednesday, which led to a late start to the first round on Thursday.
The knock-on effect on the 156-player field is still being felt, but they should be able to make up time over the weekend, though more rain is predicted for Sunday.
