Trio of aces highlight second round in Georgia
Eric Dugas of Brewster, Mass., Brad Martin of Portland, Ore., and Brooks West of Brandon, Miss., each scored a hole-in-one to add to a Championship that has enjoyed more than a few signature moments already this week.
Dugas, the second-youngest in the 312-player field at 25, and West, 27, a PGA manufacturer representative for AHEAD Headgear, holed out on the 150-yard, par-3 11th hole 15 minutes apart at Reynolds Landing. Dugas used a 9-iron and West needed an 8-iron.
At nearly the same time that Dugas was celebrating, Martin, a 38-year-old assistant professional at Portland Golf Club, hit a 7-iron into the hole -- nearly on the fly -- at the 170-yard 17th hole at Great Waters.
It was the first career hole-in-one for West, the second for Martin and the third of Dugas' career. But Martin picked up the biggest prize. He won a 2008 Buick Enclave for his performance that was covered live by Golf Channel.
As Martin stepped on the tee, his caddie, Stefan Lewinger, 20, of Athens, Ga., said, "Hey that looks like a great ride. Why don't you knock it into the hole?"
"How about I just put a good swing on it first?" Martin replied.
Martin said that he had similar yardage in two practice rounds, and had hit 7-irons into the same area of the green. This one was a laser-like shot that hit a fraction of an inch to the left of the hole and then dunked into the cup.
"I heard Mrs. Whitcomb (wife of the PGA of America President Brian Whitcomb) yelling that there was a hole-in-one," said Martin. "I was in a state of shock. After I calmed down, I played well and ended up with a 69 and am closer to my goal of getting into the top 20 and playing in the PGA Championship."
Dugas and West aced the same hole at Reynolds Landing that also rewarded Clint Avret of Jacksonville, Fla., with a hole-in-one in Thursday's first round.
"I have not seen any of them," said Dugas. "My little brother (his caddie) and I were talking about it and the wind was into and crossing so I figured I would play it in the back of my stance a little bit and it one-hopped in.
"I didn't even really know what to do. I wanted to hit it to the back slope and let it fall back but the wind knocked it down and it one-hopped in. I was 2 over after seven and ended up even par for the round so I can't complain."
For West, his moment of perfection was like a dream.
"I hit it perfect, absolutely perfect," said West. "The wind was out of the left and I stood it up off the pine tree. The ball hit five feet short and rolled like a putt. I didn't get to see it go in because it was a blind green.
"The guys in my group as we are walking asked if I thought it was in the hole and the rules guy pointed and let me know it was in. But I didn't know what that meant. When I got up there, I found the ball in the hole. I wouldn't want to play that rules guy in poker."
The 41st PGA Professional National Championship field will be trimmed to the low 70 scorers and ties Friday, with the final 36 holes conducted at Great Waters. The low 20 scorers after Sunday's final round earn a berth in the 90th PGA Championship, Aug. 4-10, at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich.
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