Golf Veteran’s Unprecedented Back-to-Back Holes-in-One Triumph at U.S. Senior Open
Learn about golf veteran Frank Bensel Jr.’s historic back-to-back holes-in-one at the U.S. Senior Open, a never-before-seen achievement in USGA tournament history that captivated spectators and players alike.
Golf Veteran Makes Unprecedented Back-to-Back Holes-in-One at U.S. Senior Open
In a remarkable turn of events at the 2023 U.S. Senior Open, 56-year-old teaching pro Frank Bensel Jr. etched his name in golf history by making back-to-back holes-in-one on the fourth and fifth holes at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island.
Bensel, who is based out of New York and Florida, was trailing the field after a 5-over 75 in the opening round on Thursday. However, his fortunes changed dramatically on Friday. After hitting a 6-iron that he initially thought settled on the green of the 173-yard fourth hole, Bensel was pleasantly surprised to hear the roar of the crowd, indicating his ball had found the cup for a hole-in-one.
“I was kidding around, like, okay, now let’s go for another one, and it happened to go in,” Bensel recounted. “Everybody just couldn’t believe it. We all went nuts.”
Undeterred, Bensel followed up his first ace with another on the 202-yard fifth hole, this time with another 6-iron. According to the United States Golf Association (USGA), Bensel’s consecutive aces are the first-ever recorded in USGA tournament history. The unique back-to-back par 3s on Newport’s front nine proved to be the perfect stage for this rare golfing feat.
Bensel’s Struggle to Maintain Momentum
Bensel, who is making his seventh major appearance, admitted that the thought of achieving such a remarkable accomplishment never crossed his mind during the practice rounds. “The second one — I just couldn’t believe it,” he said. “To even think that that could happen was amazing.”
Despite the thrilling start, Bensel struggled to maintain his momentum, bogeying the next four holes and finishing with a 4-over 74 for the round. Nonetheless, his name will forever be etched in the annals of golf history as the first player to record consecutive holes-in-one in a USGA event.
Bensel, who works as a teaching pro at Century Country Club in New York and Mirasol Golf Club in Florida, was accompanied by his 14-year-old son, Hagen, who caddied for him during this historic round.
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