As if making an ace in a major tournament isn’t enough of a once-in-a-lifetime thrill, a club pro who splits time between Florida and the Northeast decided to try it twice in the span of two holes.
Incredibly, Frank Bensel Jr., a club pro based in Jupiter, Florida, stepped to the 184-yard No. 4 at Newport Country Club and made an ace. Then the former Winged Foot pro, who has split time between Century Country Club outside of New York City and the Country Club of Mirasol in West Palm Beach, Florida, did something truly amazing.
The 56-year-old Bensel, who played collegiately at Maryland, walked up to the 203-yard No. 5 and did it again.
WHAT?! 🤯
Frank Bensel, Jr. just made back-to-back aces in the U.S. Senior Open! pic.twitter.com/uD92juLJJ3
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) June 28, 2024
The National Hole-In-One Registry calculates the odds of making two aces in one round as 67 million to 1. There are no odds available for back-to-back aces, perhaps because few people have considered it, mainly because most courses don’t have back-to-back par 3s.
Bensel, who shot 75 on Thursday in the opening round, followed with four straight bogeys. His previous major start was at the 2021 PGA Championship, where he finished 21 over after an opening 86.
But Bensel now has a story that is truly one for the ages.
