DURBAN, South Africa – Dale Whitnell had an amazing day at the South African Open on Friday. He remarkably hit two holes-in-one in the same round, even though he was concerned before the round about qualifying for the next stage of the European tour event.
The 36-year-old from England achieved this feat on the second and twelfth par-3 holes at the Durban Country Club. His second round was outstanding, scoring 9-under 63, which included an eagle, seven birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey.
Whitnell, who is ranked 545th, mentioned that he was worried about making the cut, so he knew he needed to perform well. He started strongly.
He birdied the first hole and then used a 7-iron for the second hole, hitting it perfectly for a hole-in-one. He didn’t realize it went in until he heard the cheers from near the hole. He described it as lovely.
Afterward, Whitnell also got an eagle on the third par-5 hole. Then, he had to wait nine more holes for his second hole-in-one.
He said that he had never made a hole-in-one in a tournament before, so getting two in one day is very special. This happened after he scored a par 72 in the first round the day before.
