There was a popular storyline coming into the 2023 Open Championship, the brand new par-3 17th at Royal Liverpool.
It’s short — it played 126 yards on Thursday and 132 yards on Friday — but devilish. If players are off by just a few yards, big scores can come into play. Just ask Lucas Herbert, who made a triple-bogey six during the first round.
Well, the tough shortie wasn’t too difficult for Travis Smyth on Friday as he canned a hole-in-one.
Smyth was coming off a bogey at the par-4 16th and was 3 over for his round.
He walked off the 17th green 1 over and with a memory he’ll have for a lifetime.
Hole-in-one on 17!
Travis Smyth with an historic shot at Little Eye. pic.twitter.com/CkgTl2lvtt
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2023