Aaron Rai Adds Name To Honors List With 17th Hole Ace At TPC Sawgrass

Aaron Rai sent the adoring fans into meltdown with a stunning hole in one at the iconic 17th hole

Rai celebrates his ace at the par 3 17th whilst the fans watch from around the green
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Aaron Rai is becoming a regular on the PGA Tour circuit and, on Saturday, at The Players Championship, he made his first ever hole in one on the PGA Tour, with the ace coming at a pretty special venue - The 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.

Arguably one of the best par 3s in the world, we had already seen a hole in one at the 17th on Thursday from Hayden Buckley. Now, just two days later, Englishman Rai replicated the feat as his gap wedge pitched past the hole and rolled in like a putt, sending the surrounding crowds into raptures.

Starting his third round after weather had delayed the second round's play, Rai endured a chaotic start to the day, with four birdies and two bogeys in a seven hole stretch put him to four-under for the tournament.

A birdie at the 11th followed, but it was the closing three holes where we saw one of the best finishes on the Stadium Course, with Rai birdieing the 16th as he moved to the iconic par 3.

Striking his gap wedge, the ball span on a dime, with the subsequent few seconds seeing it roll down the slope and into the hole for a first professional hole in one! Normally, when you make a hole in one, the adrenaline will be flowing but, at the par 4 18th, the hardest hole on the golf course, Rai carded a birdie to play the last three holes in eight shots!

Rai hugs his caddie whilst the crowds celebrate

Rai hugs his caddie after making a hole in one at the 17th

(Image credit: Getty Images)

"Yeah, (I) played pretty solidly on the back nine," stated Rai after his seven-under round of 65. "I made a lot of pars to start with, and 16 is a good opportunity if you get your tee shot away and hit a very nice tee shot down there and a great second shot to create the birdie chance.

"17 fell at a very good number with my gap wedge. Hit it great, looked great in the air and very pleased to see it go in. That was an incredible moment. And very pleased at the way that I played 18 as well on the back end of that. It can be quite tricky to compose myself after a situation like that, so to hit a great tee shot, to hit a great second shot and to make birdie was a very pleasing way to finish."

He went on to add: "It was a little bit of a blur. I saw it go in and then I looked to the left to almost see, is it real and I saw almost the crowd's hands in the air. In the second after that, I looked to the right towards my caddie and he came running at me. So it happened very fast, but it feels very vivid now that I'm even talking about it and remembering some of those images. So I couldn't quite believe that it happened, but very, very special. Very special. Something I'll always remember."

Matt Cradock
Staff Writer

Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.


Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.


Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?

Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°

Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°

Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°

Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°

Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x