The Masters will begin on Thursday, as golf’s most famous stateside major shifts to November from it’s typical April spot as golf finishes off a strange, fanless 2020 season at Augusta National.
The best golfers in the world are on the grounds at Augusta National currently for practice rounds as they prepare for the tournament this weekend, and even without patrons on the course, they’re still enjoying some of the traditions of The Masters. For instance, the famous 16th hole at Augusta features a pond between the tee box and the green that, during practice rounds, players will skip the ball across to try and hold the green to the delight of those in attendance.
Even without patrons, that’s still going on and on Tuesday we saw that tradition produce one of the most incredible golf shots you’ll ever see, courtesy of Jon Rahm, one of the co-favorites to win the tournament and the No. 2 ranked player in the world, who skipped the ball across the pond for a hole in one.
From pond to pin! Rahm skips to a hole-in-one on No. 16 at #themasters pic.twitter.com/JNNPWgW9OP
— The Masters (@TheMasters) November 10, 2020
It’s a truly ridiculous shot and there’s obviously luck involved, but still, to have the control to skip it across the water and have it have the perfect pace to ride the slope around the green and into the hole — which is in the traditional Sunday pin position — is honestly spectacular. Making things even crazier is that it’s the second hole in one in as many days for Rahm at Augusta, as he aced the fourth hole on Monday in a practice round. He’s grown to truly love Augusta — as he told Uproxx in an interview that will run tomorrow — and it seems Augusta National loves him right back.