WATCH: PGA Tour star hits record-breaking hole-in-one at The Open

Si Woo Kim has produced the moment of the Open Championship so far. 

The PGA Tour star nailed the first hole-in-one of the week on the hardest par-3 at Royal Troon.

Many players before him had visited ‘The Rabbit’ and struggled to even hit the green from 238-yards with either a long iron or fairway wood in hand.

But the South Korean – who was 2-over for his round before arriving on the penultimate hole – then came up with magic that will define his Open.

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He pitched his 3-iron just short of the green and his ball tracked all the way to the cup. From the tee box, it is difficult to see exactly where the ball finishes on the long par-3 – and he confirmed later that he didn’t see it go in – but the roar in the grandstand signalled the ace.

Then, the celebrations could begin…

An ace on the 17th for Si Woo Kim. pic.twitter.com/tPg2PKTm1x

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2024

“It was amazing,” he told reporters after his round. “I had plenty of holes-in-one in my life. Maybe over ten times, at tournaments like six to eight times, but I think this is the most memorable hole-in-one, because it’s a major and The Open.”

And, thanks to golf’s resident stats guru Justin Ray, we now know there was a little bit of history attached to it…

Si Woo Kim: hole-in-one at the 238-yard 17th

It's the longest ace in recorded history at The Open Championship (since 1980).

— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) July 20, 2024

A par here on the 17th a real result for the world’s best players off this back tee, even in benign conditions.

So what Kim conjured up, effectively picking up two and a half shots on the field, was extraordinary.

Afterwards, he was asked if he would be carrying out the tradition of buying everyone a drink in the clubhouse. “I’ve got to buy Korean barbecue sometimes,” he told Sky Sports. “But it’s not my country, so maybe I will get fish and chips for my team.”

Ben Parsons is the Senior Writer at bunkered and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.