Texan thrills home crowd with hole-in-one, despite rollercoaster scoring card
Fireworks in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas – April 4, 2024
Jordan Spieth delivered a vintage moment of brilliance during the opening round of the 2024 Valero Texas Open, draining a hole-in-one on the iconic par-3 16th at TPC San Antonio. The ace sent the local crowd into a frenzy and temporarily lifted Spieth into red figures—on what was otherwise a wildly unpredictable scorecard.
On a day filled with highs and lows, Spieth’s ace stood out as a Texas-sized spark of magic in front of his home-state fans.
A Defining Shot
The 16th hole was playing 183 yards on Thursday, with a tucked pin calling for a high, controlled shot. Spieth chose a 7-iron, took aim, and launched a beautiful draw that landed softly and rolled straight into the cup.
The crowd roared, and Spieth gave a casual fist bump as he walked off the tee, flashing that familiar grin. It marked his third career hole-in-one on the PGA Tour.
“That was fun. I needed it,” Spieth said after the round. “With how the rest of the day went, I’ll definitely take the one bounce and in.”
Leaderboard Impact
The ace brought Spieth to 1-under on the round at the time, but it was part of a chaotic card that included a quadruple-bogey seven just a few holes earlier. Ultimately, he finished with an even-par 72, leaving him seven shots behind the early leaders.
Despite the inconsistencies, the hole-in-one helped salvage his round and kept him in position to potentially make a Friday cut push.
Other Notables
Akshay Bhatia posted a sizzling 65 (-7) to grab the first-round lead, while Rory McIlroy struggled with accuracy off the tee and limped home with a 74 (+2). Rickie Fowler, continuing his comeback campaign, looked sharp with a clean 68 (-4) to stay within striking distance.
Yet, no moment matched Spieth’s ace in terms of sheer electricity and crowd reaction.
What’s Next
Spieth heads into Round 2 needing a solid performance to ensure weekend golf. His short game looked sharp and the fans are firmly behind him—but he’ll need to tighten up off the tee to avoid another scorecard rollercoaster.
Still, the ace on 16 was vintage Spieth: bold, dramatic, and unforgettable. And at TPC San Antonio, that’s exactly what the fans came to see.
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