Cape Town – SA’s top ranked golfer Louis Oosthuizen recorded an ace in the opening round of the WGC-HSBC Championships at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai on Thursday.
Oosthuizen saw his 6-iron shot from 197 yards on the par-3 sixth hole roll straight into the cup.
It was Oosthuizen’s third hole-in-one of his professional career after aces at the 2016 Masters (4th round, 16th hole) and 2016 Open Championship (1st round, 14th hole).
Oosthuizen recorded the fifth hole-in-one in tournament history and the fifth of the 2019/20 PGA Tour season thus far.
Oosthuizen posted a 4-under 68 in the opening round of the tournament to lie T10 as local boy Haotong Li took a one-shot lead.
Oosthuizen, who has already sealed his spot in December’s International Presidents Cup team, is paired alongside Italian Francesco Molinari and Englishman Ian Poulter in the first and second rounds.
There are nine South Africans in the field this week: Oosthuizen, Erik van Rooyen, Richard Sterne, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Bryce Easton, Zander Lombard, Jbe Kruger and Neil Schietekat.
The WGC-HSBC Champions has a $10.25 million purse, with $1.7 million (R25m) going to the winner.
?? HOLE IN ONE! ??@Louis57TM from 197 yards.#WGCHSBCChampions pic.twitter.com/8izvBjyKCp
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) October 31, 2019
