DP World Tour pro defies odds to card TWO holes-in-one in same round

Have you ever made a hole-in-one before? How about two of them in one round? That’s exactly what English DP World Tour pro Dale Whitnell did on the DP World Tour today.

Making an ace is something that many golfers will go their whole life without achieving. However, making two in the same loop is something that very few in the game will ever do.

But, Dale Whitnell can now add himself to that very exclusive club, as he made two aces in his second round at the Investec South African Championship.

The 36-year-old had a steady start to his tournament with a round of level par on Thursday, but that didn’t last long in his second round. An opening birdie was followed by an ace at the par-3 second hole. That was a 7-iron from 185 yards, which is impressive enough, especially considering it was Whitnell’s first ace in tournament play.

He then followed that up with an eagle at the par-5 third hole to get to five-under-par after three holes. Things settled down slightly for the DP World Tour winner, as he reached the 12th tee at six-under-par, but that didn’t last long.

Both of @Dale_Whitnell's holes-in-one from the second round 🤯#InvestecSAOpen pic.twitter.com/jtbo1EngXP

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 28, 2025

Whitnell’s tee shot at the short par-3 12th , measuring 128 yards, also remarkably found the bottom of the cup for his second hole-in-one for the round and, of course, his second in tournament play in his career.

It all helped Whitnell to a round of 63, nine-under-par, which could have been even better had he avoided a double bogey at the 16th hole. We think we’ll let him off with that though, in a round that will certainly live long in the memory.

Speaking to the DP World Tour after his round, Whitnell was understandably shocked.

“I got off to a hot start, as they would say. I made birdie on the first, then hit a flush 7-iron on the second. I didn’t realise it went in until they cheered down the bottom. That was lovely.

“I was five-under thru three, which I’ve not done before. Then, I’ve managed to get another hole-in-one on the 12th. Yeah, bizarre. It’s a weird feeling. You’re excited, the adrenaline is pumping, but you’ve got to focus on your job.”

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Whitnell now sits in the top ten in Durban and will be hoping for similar fireworks over the weekend.

It’s thought that the odds of making just one hole-in-one are somewhere around 12,500 to one, let alone making two in the same round.

Believe it or not, it’s not a first in the professional game. However, you do need to go back ten years to find a recorded instance.

In 2015 at the Barclays, Brian Harman made two aces in the same round, which were actually his first two in competition.

Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor