Latest news with #DaleWhitnell
Khaleej Times
04-03-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Lightning Strikes Twice: Dale Whitnell's ‘bizarre' two-hole-in-one feat on the DP World Tour
Dale Whitnell carved his name into golf's history books with a feat that almost defies belief - two holes-in-one in the same round at the Durban Golf Course. The Englishman stunned the field at the Investec South African Open Championship, acing both the par-three second and 12th holes. Local favourite Dylan Naidoo won the rain-plagued event on the first playoff hole Sunday against England's Laurie Canter. Hole-in-ones are already a special moment for any golfer, but making two in a single round? That's the kind of stuff legends are made of. Whitnell becomes only the second player in DP World Tour history to achieve the feat, following Andrew Dodt's similar accomplishment at the Nordea Masters in 2013. Unlikely Achievement What made the moment even more astonishing was that Whitnell had never recorded an ace in tournament play. 'After shooting level par and coming back in the morning to complete my first round, I knew I needed to play well just to make the cut,' Whitnell said. 'I got off to a hot start, made a birdie at the first, then hit a flush seven-iron on the second. I didn't realize it had gone in until I heard the cheers from down by the green. That was lovely.' His second ace came at the 12th, where he holed out from 128 yards with a 50-degree wedge, pulling off one of golf's most unlikely feats. 'To make one is special, but to make two? It's bizarre,' Whitnell added. 'You don't really know how to react. You're buzzing, the adrenaline is pumping, but at the same time, you've got to focus and keep playing.' Unconventional Round His round was far from a conventional one. Beyond the two aces, he also carded three eagles, seven birdies, two bogeys, a double bogey, and even an air shot - ultimately finishing with a remarkable nine-under-par 63 on a historic day. Whitnell's feat comes in a season already filled with memorable aces. His two additions bring the tally of holes-in-one on the 2025 Race to Dubai to seven, following MK Kim, Daniel Gavins, Adrien Saddier, Pablo Larrazábal, and Eddie Pepperell. While Whitnell didn't take home the win, he now has a permanent place in golf history. Lightning might not strike twice in the same spot, but it sure did for him.
USA Today
02-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Golfer on DP World Tour has not one but two holes-in-one in the same round
Golfer on DP World Tour has not one but two holes-in-one in the same round This might be one of the crazier scorecards you'll see. It might also be one of the few times you'll ever see a golfer record two aces. Dale Whitnell of England opened with a birdie Friday in the second round of the Investec South African Open Championship at Durban Country Club in South Africa. On his next hole, he recorded a hole-in-one. Three swings, one putt and he was 3 under. On the par-5 third, he made eagle, so he was then 5 under through three holes. Talk about your hot starts. From there, Whitnell made three pars and a bogey before two more birdies, thus making the turn in 30. Then on the par-3 12th, he struck again, making his second ace of the day. According to the National Hole-in-One Registry, the odds of one player making two holes-in-one in the same round are 67-million-to-1. "I got off to a hot start as they say. 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 [greenside] they cheered so that was lovely," he said. 'I hit two hybrid, hybrid into the par five and made eagle there so I was five under through three which I have never done before and then managed to get another hole in one at the 12th. It was bizarre." Whitnell also had a late double-bogey and when he signed for a 9-under 63, his scorecard had a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and a 6. He's also 9 for the tournament, tied for eighth, five shots back of leader Shaun Norris. "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.' Whitnell says he now has five aces but never before in competition. Andrew Dodt in 2013 was the first player on the DP World Tour to make multiple holes-in-one in the same round. Later in the clubhouse, there was a nice selection of beverages courtesy of Whitnell.
Washington Post
28-02-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Dale Whitnell makes two holes-in-one in same round at South African Open
DURBAN, South Africa — Dale Whitnell made two holes-in-one in the same round at the South African Open on Friday, having entered the day worrying about just making the cut at the European tour event. The 36-year-old Englishman aced the par-3 second and 12th holes at the Durban Country Club in a wild 9-under 63 second round that included an eagle, seven birdies, two bogeys and one double bogey. 'I was struggling to make the cut so I knew I needed to go out and play well and got off to a hot start as they would say,' said Whitnell, ranked No. 545. 'Birdied the first and then hit a flush 7-iron on the second and didn't realize it went in until down the bottom they sort of cheered. That was lovely.' Whitnell then eagled the par-5 third and would have to wait a whopping nine holes for his second ace. 'I've never had one in tournament play. To have two in one day is pretty special,' he said, a day after shooting a level-par 72 in the opening round. Brian Harman also made two aces in the same round at the 2015 Barclays on the PGA Tour at Plainfield Country Club, acing the third and 14th holes in the final round. Yusaku Miyazato of Japan, playing on a sponsor exemption at the 2006 Reno-Tahoe Open on the PGA Tour, made a hole-in-one on the seventh and 12th holes in the second round. According to the U.S.-based National Hole-in-One Registry, the odds of making a hole-in-one twice in the same round are 67 million to 1. ___ AP golf:
NBC Sports
28-02-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Whitnell defies odds, cards two aces in one round
Dale Whitnell defies 67 million-to-one odds after carding a pair of aces in one round coming on the DP World Tour in South Africa.
Telegraph
28-02-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Watch: English golfer hits 67 million to one two holes-in-one
Englishman Dale Whitnell carded two holes-in-one during a once-in-a-lifetime round on day two of the South African Open. The 36-year-old, whose DP World Tour breakthrough came in the 2023 Scandinavian Mixed, aced the 179-yard second in soft, calm conditions at the Durban Country Club, and then repeated the feat at the 149-yard 12th. It is estimated the odds of making two holes-in-one in the same round are 67 million to one. Both of @Dale_Whitnell 's holes-in-one from the second round 🤯 #InvestecSAOpen — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 28, 2025 At one stage Whitnell, who immediately followed his first ace with an eagle, needed birdies at his final three holes to card a 59 but that quest fell apart after flying the 16th green. In attempting to chip in for birdie from an awkward side-hill lie, the club head slid completely under the ball and moved it only a couple of inches and he took another three shots to get up and down for a double-bogey six. He signed for a nine-under 63, having shot level par in the first round. Although the odds of double aces are high, there have been a number of instances of them occurring. Dale Whitnell appreciation post 🍻 #InvestecSAOpen — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 28, 2025 Fellow Englishman John Hudson registered two at the European Tour's Martini International at Royal Norwich in 1971. Brian Harman, who would go on to become Open champion in 2023, became the third man to achieve the feat on the PGA Tour with two aces at the Barclays in 2015, while last year Frank Bensel Jnr made back-to-back holes-in-one during the second round of the US Senior Open in Rhode Island. 'I hit a flush seven-iron on the second and I didn't realise it had gone in until down the bottom they cheered,' Whitnell, who took 11 years to earn a full DP World Tour card after turning professional in 2009, said in his post-round interview. 'It's a weird feeling. Obviously the adrenalin is pumping, but you have to focus on your job and I managed to do that today. 'I've never had one in tournament play. I've had one in practice at Le Golf National in Paris, but to have two in one day is pretty special. 'I've had everything today: an air shot, two bogeys, a double, three eagles and come out nine-under par, so I can't complain.'
