In his second appearance at the Players Championship, Fox aced the island green 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.
Fox hit his tee shot by the flag on the 124-yard par three and it rolled back into the hole. He raised his arms to a big celebration from the gallery.The 37-year-old New Zealander etched his name into the history books as he became just the 14th player to record a hole-in-one at the 17th at the Players Championship.
"When it landed and came back I thought this has got a chance," Fox told the media afterwards.
"They don't go in very often so it was nice to have one go in and to have that many people there to witness it is pretty cool."
Fox felt the hole was set-up well for him with the pin at the front of the green.
"It was a nice gap wedge and you know you have a little bit of a backstop there and I was pretty chuffed to look up and see it going down the flag.
"Obviously a little bit of luck for it to come back down the slope and actually go in, but I'm certainly not complaining."
In 2005 Bob Tway hit four balls into the water on the hole and finished with the highest score ever, a 12.
Fox agreed that the 17th can be a challenge.
"It's an intimidating shot, I don't care who you are you get up there and most of the crowd probably want you to make a one or hit it in the water, so I'm glad to be on the right side of it in that respect."
Playing for the second time at TPC Sawgrass, Fox started on the back nine and carded an early birdie at the par five 11th. But back-to-back bogeys at the 14th and 15th saw him slip to one-over. However, he recovered with a brilliant eagle at the par five 16th, landing his second from 180 yards out to within two feet of the hole.
That was followed by the ace at the 17th.Fox finished his round tied for 13th at three-under par. Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele have a share of the lead at seven-under.
- RNZ/NZ Herald
