The Loop
Watch Ben Martin make the longest (and clutchest) hole-in-one of the year
They say in match play you should always expect your opponent to make his putt so you won't be as rattled if you have to make yours. But the match-play handbook doesn't include a chapter on how to handle your opponent making a hole-in-one.
Ben Martin did just that to stun Matt Kuchar on Wednesday during Day 1 of the WGC-Cadillac Match Play. Adding to the incredible moment? The match was all square when Martin made his ace on the 17th hole. Oh, and the 17th hole at TPC Harding Park happened to be playing a meaty 243 yards. Take a look:
Martin used a hybrid to hit what he described as "the best shot of my life." It also happened to be the longest hole-in-one recorded on the PGA Tour this season.
Not surprisingly, Kuchar couldn't match, and the two halved the 18th hole to give Martin a 1-up upset. On the bright side for Kuchar, with the new group-play format, he wasn't eliminated.