The moment Nico Echavarria hits stunning Scottish Open hole-in-one to bag swanky new car and VIP gift for lucky fan
Nifty Nico Echavarria landed himself a spanking new car with a stunning hole in one at the Renaissance.
The Colombian star hit the perfect shot to ace the par three Stadium Hole of the Genesis Scottish Open.
As well as earning him an eagle for his card as he played alongside stars Tommy Fleetwood and Brian Harman, Echavarria scooped a brand-new Genesis GV60.
The 30-year-old's magical shot also offered the opportunity for someone to win an all-expenses paid trip to Asia.
The tournament sponsors arranged that the first fan to correctly predict the individual to bag the first hole in one of the week at the sixth would win a VIP experience and tickets to the Genesis Championship in Korea, including business class return flights and accommodation.
Work immediately began to find if one had happened, but Echavarria himself is guaranteed the classy car and the Stadium Experience has been a huge success over the four days with punters and players lapping up the atmosphere.
The par-three has been a must-go-to spot for fans at Renaissance with improvements to last year's set-up offering magical moments.
As well as being fully enclosed with grandstands, screens and platforms, there has been a new children's area designed to take kids closer to their heroes.
During the Wednesday pro-am, young fans were able to walk the hole with some of the stars of the event and even get the chance to hole a putt.
Prior to the event, Genesis Brand Advisor Graeme Russell explained the key elements to the ideas as he said: 'Golf fans in Scotland and the UK are always very knowledgeable, very learned on the game, very respectful of the interaction with the players.
'So, we're really trying to create that family atmosphere and really welcome the next generation of golf fans.
'Someone who might be new to the game, or coming to a tournament for the first time, or follow their favourite player on social media, how can they engage and interact and feel part of the experience and atmosphere at the sixth hole. That's what we're really trying to do with the stadium seating which has improved this year, together with the new hospitality experiences.
'We'll have the Genesis public lounge and then the Kids' Viewing Zone and we're hopeful that, certainly on the pro-am days, the players will interact with the younger fans and create a real energy, a real buzz, a real sense of excitement on the tee and, hopefully, that the players will also respond well to that.
'I think you've got the location. It's in the middle of the front nine, it's close to the 18th, it's near the clubhouse, it's a natural gathering point, it's very easy to access for fans and there's a lot of other facilities and experiences around.
'The amphitheatre type effect starts at the tee and goes down both sides to the end of the hole, and we want fans of all ages with an interest in golf to be able to interact.
'I think introducing the next generation of golf fans is really important for the sport and having them able to witness their favourite golfers on a par-three where they can, ultimately, see the end result of the shot as well, compared to a par four or five where you may not know how the player finishes the hole. So, a lot of great stuff is going on there.
'We have a hole-in-one competition. Fans can sign up and, if the player that they select goes on to score a hole in one, then the player will win the Genesis GV60 car, and the fan will win a trip to the Genesis Championship in Korea, it's encouraging fans to have a stake in the action.
'I think you've seen comments from other tournaments, certainly at the Masters where the feedback is the fans and the patrons are part of the tournament experience for the players as well.
'They create the atmosphere, they create the setting, the backdrop that the players appreciate, .
'I think we've always felt that, if we look after the players, the caddies, and if they're playing well and enjoying the experience, that enjoyment translates to the fans and it comes back from the fans.'
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