Easiest par 3 at a US Open means good chance of hole in one

Scott Langley registered a hole-in-one in qualifying to secure his spot in the US Open field and teenager Gavin Hall has already bagged an ace of his own during practice at Merion Golf Club when playing alongside Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner.

However, there has never been a hole-in-one achieved on the four previous occasions that Merion has hosted the US Open, with 11/8 the price that a first is scored this year.

Although at different courses, holes in one have become fairly common at the US Open since the turn of the century, with 11 accomplished in the last 13 renewals.

John Peterson was responsible for the most recent at Olympic Club 12 months ago and this was the first time he had registered such an achievement in his whole career, which suggests that any of the 156 starters at Merion could do the honour.

It should also be remembered that amateur Spencer Levin was a hole-in-one hero at the US Open in 2004.

Hall’s ace arrived on the ninth hole, a 252-yard par 3, and if another is secured in one of the four rounds of the US Open, it is the 13th hole that looks the most likely.

The 13th only measures 115 yards, meaning that it may be a gap wedge and not even a sand wedge for the majority of players.

USGA executive director Mike Davis has intimated that it is the easiest par 3 that will ever be seen at a US Open and the only obvious obstacle is a hugely deep bunker that guards the front of the green.

With soft conditions also virtually guaranteed at Merion, players can expect even greater control and it would be somewhat a surprise if any of the 400+ tee shots at this hole over the course of the tournament didn’t rest directly in the cup.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.