Every hole-in-one at the PGA Championship: Sebastian Soderberg makes Valhalla ace

Will Valhalla see the next PGA Championship ace?

The PGA Championship has now seen 49 hole-in-ones but will Valhalla also see the Championship’s landmark 50th ace?

Valhalla hadn’t seen a PGA Championship hole-in-one since 1996 before Swede Sebastian Soderberg’s second-round effort from 169 yards on perhaps the most eventful morning in the championship’s history.

Editions in 2014 and 2000, won by Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods respectively were ‘ace-less’, although three came along in 1996 courtesy of Vijay Singh, Steve Lowry, and George Bowman. That was still one less than Kemper Lakes in 1989 though, which saw a record four aces at a single PGA Championship.

Valhalla’s four “realistic” opportunities are a true test of the meaning. Only the 8th had a scoring average under par in 2014 with all par-3 stroke indexes ranging between 6-12. The first chance (so to speak), comes at the 208-yard 3rd hole (Honest Abe), a demanding par-3 guarded by three bunkers and Floyd’s Fork, which sweeps in front of and to the right of the narrow, elevated green. The 190-yard 8th hole (Float Like A Butterfly) provides the next shot on a hole famed and named for the complexity of its green.

Over on the back nine, the 211-yard 11th hole (Holler) requires players to hit into a shallow, elevated green that features a slight false front, with a large bunker front left and a smaller one back right. And at 254 yards, the 14th (On The Rocks) is the most unlikely chance of the lot, now playing an additional 40 yards longer than before up to its two-tiered green sandwiched between two bunkers in front and two behind. You can read our Valhalla Golf Course guide for a detailed breakdown of every hole on the Kentucky track.

But now, let’s take a look back at the PGA Championship hole-in-ones.

PGA Championship: Hole-in-Ones

There have been 17 hole-in-ones at the PGA Championship since the turn of the century with Atlanta, Whistling Straits, and Oak Hill witnessing the feat three times each.

2024: Sebastian Sodeberg – Valhalla | Hole 8 | 169 yards | Round 2

In just his second-ever major start, Swedish player Sebastian Soderberg ensured he would be leaving Valhalla with special memories, regardless of whether he ended up making the cut. A pure strike from just shy of 170 yards pitched within feet of the pin, almost slamming in on the second bounce, before spinning the right way for the first ace of the 2024 Championship.

2023: Michael Block – Oak Hill | Hole 15 | 151 yards | Round 4

He knew it was good, but it wasn’t until he’d walked 100 yards repeatedly asking the crowd and Rory McIlroy “Did it go in”, that the penny dropped, or more like ‘slam-dunked’ into the hole on Oak Hill’s 15th hole. It was arguably the most iconic moment of the Championship with club pro Block going on to be crowned the ‘People’s Champion’, becoming one of the most influential people in golf overnight. His ace pulled him to the clubhouse in a tie for 15th which earned him an exemption into the 2024 Championship.

“I’m like, ‘Why is Rory giving me a hug?’ Rory is giving me a hug for hitting it 3, 4, 5 feet? That’s weird. I’m like, ‘I think I just made it,’ said Block. “To do it on that hole on this stage was a lifelong dream. It can never be better. That’s it. I can retire. Good night.”

2020: Byeong Hun An – TPC Harding Park | 11th Hole | 189 yards | Round 4

“And the crowd goes crazy,” joked the commenter as a solitary voice hollas out at the Covid-restricted 2020 edition of the PGA Championship. His high baby draw honed right in on the pin, landing softly with three hops before rolling a couple of feet into the hole. At least it was televised!

2019: Lucas Bjerregaard – Bethpage Black | 17th Hole | 206 yards | Round 4

Now this really was the definition of a honing missile. The Dane drilled a 6-iron that never left the flag, carrying the front bunker before pitching a couple of feet short and diving straight into the hole, sending the crowd wild. However, the celebrations didn’t stop there as playing partner Lucas Glover holed out from the sand on his second shot to make them even more frenzied. An ace and a hole-out on the same hole…what are the chances?

2018: Matt Wallace – Bellerive | 16th Hole | 232 yards | Round 2

“This is Mike Wallace,” announces the commentator just before one of the best shots of the Englishman’s career. Another ball that never left the pin, sailing over the valley on Bellerive’s 16th hole and landing softly with two small hops before rolling gently through the front door. He then horrified everyone by kissing the ball and throwing it into the crowd!

2017: Joost Luiten – Quail Hollow | 4th Hole | 181 yards | Round 1

Seven over through 12 holes and in desperate need of a break, Dutchman Joost Luiten nailed his 6-iron into the par-3 fourth hole at Quail Hollow which after one bounce, smashed into the pin and dropped for a much-needed eagle. Joost’s effort put an end to the three-year wait for the next ace at a PGA Championship, last achieved by the man next on our list.

2013: Tim Clark – Oak Hill | 11th Hole | 220 yards | Round 4

There can’t be many better feelings in golf than walking up to the green with Miguel Ángel Jiménez after holing out from 220 yards with a 3-hybrid. It’s just a shame Tim Clark was nine over for the tournament when it happened. Nonetheless, a special moment, and what a hole-in-one it was too. The South African drilled his tee shot straight at it, taking two short hops and diving in.

2010: Tom Lehman – Whistling Straits | 17th Hole | Round 3

What a backdrop. With the ocean crashing away to the left of Whistling Straits’ 17th hole, Lehman’s 4-iron pitched in the perfect position, settling quickly before taking the slope and rolling five feet into the cup for a spectacular ace at the iconic venue.

2008: Freddie Jacobson – Oakland Hills | 13th Hole | Round 4

Jacobson brightened a damp final round at Oakland Hills when his tee shot on the 13th hole pitched in the heart of the green and rolled up to the pin on the perfect line before dropping in for a famous score.

2006: Olin Browne – Medinah | 17th Hole | Round 1

Judged to perfection, Olin Browne took on the precariously positioned pin just over the water on Medinah’s 17th hole. His 6-iron jumped straight in with little fuss before the American leaned back with arms aloft, celebrating as deserved.

2005: Charles Howell III – Baltusrol | 4th Hole | Round 3

Even par for the Championship, Charles Howell III knocked a 7-iron straight down the throat of the 194-yard 4th hole at Baltusrol, bouncing once before slamming down for his first ace in a tournament.

“I couldn’t think of a better place to have it than a major,” said Howell. “It was absolutely the perfect club when I walked on the tee because it had a little bit of wind helping. But the longer it took from the time I walked on the tee to hitting it, the wind was dying a little bit and I wasn’t sure it was the right club. It wound up being the right club.”

2004: Robert Gamez – Whistling Straits | 17th Hole

The man who holds the record for the longest time between wins on the PGA Tour at exactly 15 years, 6 months aced Whistling Straits 17th hole in 2004, pitching it well short on the tiered green and watching the ball roll straight and true up to the hole. Gamez is perhaps best known for a different eagle, however, when he holed his second shot from the fairway in the final round at the Nestle Invitational in 1990, giving him a one-stroke win over Greg Norman.

2004: Hale Irwin – Whistling Straits | 7th Hole

Irwin registered his second ace at a PGA Championship 29 years after his 1975 effort at Firestone. Unfortunately, we’re yet to see footage of his 2004 hole-in-one on the 7th hole at Whistling Straits – so we will have to leave it to the imagination for now.

2003: Robert Allenby – Oak Hill | 11th Hole

Allenby took on a super-tricky pin, positioned just a few yards on. Half a club short and he would have faced a very tricky up and down from either the front bunker or a nasty-looking patch of deep rough. Chance favors the brave though, with the Australian pitching his approach on a dime and watching it roll straight in. Allenby, who is tied at the top of the PGA Tour’s hole-in-one leaderboard on 10 aces with Hal Sutton, described the Oak Hill ace as “the best shot I’ve ever hit.”

2001: David Toms – Atlanta | 15th Hole

Toms pulled out a 5-wood on the 15th at Atlanta Athletic Club, carrying it 243 yards to the hole where it bounced into the pin and dropped down for one of the most memorable hole-in-ones of all time. The ace was crucial in helping Toms hold off Phil Mickelson by a shot to claim his maiden major title. Toms’ hole-in-one was believed to be the longest ever recorded by a major champion.

2001: Scott Hoch – Atlanta | 17th Hole

Going along nicely on four-under-par, Hoch went straight at the flag on Atlanta’s penultimate hole, getting his yardage spot on as his tee shot carried the water and raced up and into the hole for another spectacular ace at the 2001 Championship. Hoch sits fourth on the PGA Tour all-time hole-in-one leaderboard on seven aces.

2001: Nick Faldo – Atlanta | 4th Hole

Faldo hit the 10th ace of his career on the 204-yard 4th hole at the 2001 PGA Championship, and his first in a major. The World Golf Hall of Famer landed his tee shot seven feet right of the water, bouncing forward and on its last roll, dropped into the side of the hole for a stunning eagle to send the grandstands wild.

“That was a peach,” Faldo said about his first hole-in-one in a Major championship. “I hit a really perfect shot. A four iron with a wee draw.”

PGA Championship: Hole-in-Ones (Pre-2000)

1999: Mark Brooks – Medinah

1997: Ernie Els – Winged Foot

1996: Vijay Singh – Valhalla

1996: Steve Lowry – Valhalla

1996: George Bowman – Valhalla

1995: Fuzzy Zoeller – Riviera

1995: Lee Janzen – Riviera

1989: Lanny Wadkins – Kemper Lakes

1989: Scott Hoch – Kemper Lakes

1989: Mark O’Mera – Kemper Lakes

1989: Davis Love III – Kemper Lakes

1988: Raymond Floyd – Oak Tree

1988: David Edwards – Oak Tree

1988: Paul Azinger – Oak Tree

1988: Gene Sauers – Oak Tree

1987: Bob Lohr – PGA National

1985: Donny Hammond – Cherry Hills

1983: Bobby Nichols – Riviera

1982: Peter Ossterhuis – Southern Hills

1982: Woody Blackburn – Southern Hills

1981: Bob Eastwood – Atlanta

1979: Frank Connor – Oakland Hills

1979: Ron Streck – Oakland Hills

1978: Gil Morgan – Oakmont

1977: Bob Zender – Pebble Beach

1977: Tom Nieporte – Pebble Beach

1976: Peter Ossterhuis – Congressional

1975: Hale Irwin – Firestone

1969: Jim Turnesa – NCR

1968: Larry Ziegler – Pecan Valley

1965: George Knudson – Laurel Valley

1963: Dick Hart – Dallas

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Ross Tugwood

Senior Digital Writer

Ross Tugwood is a Senior Digital Writer for todays-golfer.com, specializing in data, analytics, science, and innovation.

Ross is passionate about optimizing sports performance and has a decade of experience working with professional athletes and coaches for British Athletics, the UK Sports Institute, and Team GB.

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