logo
82-year-old golfer's 67-million-to one longshot: Two holes-in-one in same round

82-year-old golfer's 67-million-to one longshot: Two holes-in-one in same round

USA Today2 days ago
Marty Lerner is of the same generation as Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. But, he says, "I'm no Nicklaus, I'm no Palmer."
Perhaps not. But the 82-year-old from Delray Beach, Florida, accomplished something on July 6 that neither of the two iconic Hall of Famers did while on the PGA Tour.
He carded two holes-in-one in the same round.
Lerner, retired from the financial world and living in Delray Beach, followed the first ace of his life on the 112-yard second hole at Park Ridge Golf Course near Wellington with another on the 110-yard ninth hole.
What took him more than 82 years to accomplish one time, happened again about two hours later.
While the odds of making a single hole-in-one are estimated at 12,500-to-1, that number jumps to 67-million-to-1 for repeating the feat in the same round.
"As soon as they came in, I said you got to stop and buy some lottery tickets on the way home," said Al Grimaldi, a Park Ridge supervisor on duty that day.
Even more astonishing: Tad Moore of Lake Worth made two holes-in-one at Park Ridge on Oct. 19, 2019. Moore aced the 120-yard ninth hole with a pitching wedge and the 125-yard 16th with a 7-iron.
Lerner, from Bronx, New York, is a two-time-a-week player just trying to "keep the numbers in double digits, not triple digits." So when he stepped to the tee box on No. 2 with an 8-iron in hand, he was not about to go all Brooks Koepka on the tee markers if he did not hole out.
"I always say before I hit the ball, 'Does anyone have eyes on this ball?' " Lerner said. "I'm going for cataract surgery in a couple of weeks so that tells you where I am in my life.
"So I certainly did not see it drop."
Elevated green meant Marty Lerner's group did not see hole in one
With the green elevated, neither did his playing partners that included Rich Mendelson, Steve Hodosh and Geoff Solomon, a senior account executive at WPTV-Channel 5.
When the group arrived at the green, some thought it was possibly in a bunker.
"We looked around for if for about five minutes and we couldn't find his ball," said Mendelson, 73, of Highland Beach. "He was ready to drop another ball."
Someone suggested they check out the hole where they found the ball nestled in the cup.
"It was kind of anticlimactic after looking for the ball," Mendelson said.
Said Lerner: "I said to myself, I should take a picture of this, this is once in a lifetime."
That means Lerner lived a very short second lifetime.
Seven holes later, thinking he had been a little short with many of his shots during the day, Lerner pulled out a 7-iron.
And this time the result was a bit clearer … except to Lerner.
Mendelson, a piano teacher Lerner hired years ago who then became one of his golfing partners, was sure he saw it roll into the hole. But he could not be sure.
"I started to walk to the ball and people who had gotten ahead of me were looking at me kind of strange," Lerner said. "I said, 'Does anyone know where the ball is?'
"Someone says, 'I think you should look in the cup.' "
Solomon, who arrived as a single golfer and was placed in their group, took out his cell phone and asked Lerner if he'd like to be on the news. He then videoed Lerner as walked onto the green and approached the cup.
"Oh, my, God. Oh, my, God. What are the odds?" Lerner said as he raised both arms, fists clenched carrying two clubs in one hand.
"Absolutely surreal," Mendelson said.
Marty Lerner's two aces gave him a 44 for the front nine holes
The ace on No. 9 capped a 44 for the front nine for Lerner, one of his best nine-hole scores in recent years.
As for the back nine, "my brain was no longer on the game."
Lerner shot a 56 on the back nine, for a 100.
But that did not matter. Because where was Lerner the next morning?
On the range.
"I'm a little obsessive," Lerner said.
He then added: "They say it's a suckers game. Most people say, 'I'm done with it, I'm finished, I hate the game. I'm not getting any better, let me use my time more productively.' And you're about to give your clubs away, you're on the 18th hole and you say, 'I can't wait to hit this ball because I'll be done with it.' And you hit the ball right down the center, 230 yards, and you say, 'Aha. Now I've got it.'
"You've just been sucked back in."
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ghiroli: The Lerners made one big move. Don't expect Nationals owners to make another
Ghiroli: The Lerners made one big move. Don't expect Nationals owners to make another

New York Times

time2 hours ago

  • New York Times

Ghiroli: The Lerners made one big move. Don't expect Nationals owners to make another

There's a theory in the immediate aftermath of the firings of president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez that in saving the approximately $8 million on both men's combined 2026 club option years, perhaps the Washington Nationals ownership group is clearing the books as best they can to prepare for a sale. Advertisement That seems unlikely. While the Lerner family — the majority owner of the franchise — explored a sale briefly in April 2022, Mark Lerner told the Washington Post this spring that the news was overblown and 'unless something different happens along the way, we're in it for the long haul.' Sure, that tune could change quickly if someone comes up with $2.4 billion. But given the state of both baseball's labor negotiations — many in the sport are bracing for the very likely possibility of a lockout after the 2026 season — and the uncertainty of the sport's television rights, the Lerners would be selling low. And selling low is exactly what they didn't want to do three years ago, when the family was reportedly seeking a figure in the vicinity of the $2.4 billion Steve Cohen paid for the New York Mets in 2020. (For reference on how lofty that valuation may be for the Nationals, the Baltimore Orioles sold for $1.725 billion just last year.) Ted Leonsis, who owns the Washington Capitals and Wizards, has shown previous interest in owning the Nationals, offering north of $2 billion at one point. He remains interested in buying the team, according to industry sources, and in airing their games on his Monumental Sports Network. The Nationals, who until last week were the only team without both a jersey patch and stadium naming sponsor, have a revenue problem. Outside of the Rockies, no one has lost more games than the Nats since they won their World Series title in 2019. Attendance is down. Corporate sponsorships have lagged, too. And while the jersey patch helps, the team has gone years without a sponsor for Nationals Park, leaving tens of millions on the table. So while saving $8 million on Rizzo and Martinez is nice, it's a drop in the bucket when trying to prop up a team's valuation. Advertisement After years of being paid what they deemed below-market value for their TV rights, the Nationals are entering their final season of being on the Orioles' majority-owned channel, MASN (Mid-Atlantic Sports Network). As early as 2026, they can sell those TV rights to MLB, which may be the most likely solution. The Nationals were awarded around $320 million by MLB's Revenue Sharing Decision committee for broadcast fees from 2022-26. Should they wait to sell for a few years, until 2028 or so, any labor tensions would presumably be gone. MLB's media landscape, and how teams get paid from it, could look vastly different. So could the Nationals' on-field product. But that's all years away. In the Nationals' immediate future, the team will need to name permanent fixtures at general manager and manager. (You could make a case they could benefit from having a president — which was Rizzo's title — as well as a GM, rather than one guy with both titles.) Interim general manager Mike DeBartolo — who told reporters Tuesday he wanted to ramp up the team's technology and analytics — is a strong candidate to keep the role long-term, according to sources familiar with the team's thinking. The Lerner family has never actually had to hire a GM in nearly 20 years of ownership, and they should still want to go through a formal interview process, even if just to gauge interest and new ideas from those outside the Nationals organization. Good people will be interested in the job regardless of ownership's reputation. There are, after all, only 30 jobs to lead an organization. The Lerner family declined to comment through a team spokesperson. In replacing Martinez, who was a first-time manager, it's unlikely the Lerners will want to bankroll an expensive veteran manager, particularly in 2026 as the sport's potential lockout looms. Not only would most experienced, big-name managers likely want a guaranteed multi-year deal, their salary demands would be much higher than those of a first-time manager, who may be convinced to take a one-year deal with an option. Let's not forget the 2015 Bud Black fiasco when contract negotiations stalled, resulting in the Lerners hiring Dusty Baker. This ownership group has never been inclined to pay top dollar for their managers. Perhaps that's OK. The Nationals, who have appointed bench coach Miguel Cairo as interim manager, are not built to win now or next year. They could also promote from within for the manager job, though like GM/president, they would greatly benefit from at least canvassing the sport first. Longtime Triple-A manager Matthew LeCroy is well-thought of and has a broad knowledge of the organization's younger players. The Lerners made a bold move in letting go of the two men who engineered the organization's only World Series title just before the team is set to make the No. 1 pick in the draft and only weeks ahead of the trade deadline. But only the timing appears to be truly out of character. Advertisement Fans hoping that these moves signify a new, more spirited ownership group ready to get back to top 10 payrolls, or one motivated to let the team change hands shouldn't hold their breath. Until the Lerner family proves otherwise, they don't deserve the benefit of the doubt. (Photo of Mark Lerner and Davey Martinez from 2023: Brad Mills / USA Today)

PGA Tour Star's Caddie Refused UK Access due to Cocaine Conviction
PGA Tour Star's Caddie Refused UK Access due to Cocaine Conviction

Newsweek

time2 hours ago

  • Newsweek

PGA Tour Star's Caddie Refused UK Access due to Cocaine Conviction

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Harris English flew to Scotland this week for a two-week stint in the United Kingdom. He is in the Genesis Scottish Open field and will tee it up at Royal Portrush for the Open Championship next week. Unfortunately, English will need a new caddie at least for this week as his longtime looper, Eric Larson, is home in Florida. A 30 year old conviction caused him to be denied entry into Scotland, per a report by Associated Press reporter Doug Ferguson. Larson pleaded guilty to sending cocaine to friends and served 10 years and three months in prison until he was released in June 2006. DUBLIN, OHIO - MAY 31: Harris English of the United States prepares to play a shot on the first hole during the third round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village... DUBLIN, OHIO - MAY 31: Harris English of the United States prepares to play a shot on the first hole during the third round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on May 31, 2025 in Dublin, Ohio. More Photo byEarlier this year, a new regulation for Americans went into effect when they travel to the United Kingdom, requiring an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visa. Individuals who have been convicted in the U.K. or overseas and have served 12 months or more in prison are among the grounds for rejection. So with his conviction and prison stay, Larson was denied access. He did not find out about the ETA until the week of the U.S. Open. He filled it out, but was ultimately rejected. Two weeks ago, Larson used Miami-based VSF Global to obtain a standard six-month visa quickly, but has not received an update. Harris English's caddie fights to get UK access for Open Championship It seems that there are many parties fighting to gain access for the veteran caddie in the U.K. English spoke with the U.K. ambassador, Warren Stephens, about the situation to see if there was a way to get Larson overseas. "They wrote a letter. The R&A wrote a letter. The PGA Tour wrote a letter. A charity event Eric works for in the States (Operation New Hope) wrote a letter. It's not for a lack of effort," English said ahead of the Scottish Open. "I think it could be sitting on someone's desk at the government somewhere." Now, English will look to his 'plan B' caddie, Joe Etter. He works for Davis Thompson and has the time off since his player is not in the field for the Scottish Open. Thompson is in the Open Championship, so the 35-year-old will have to find someone else if Larson's situation does not get handled. It appears the five-time PGA Tour winner is holding out hope, though. English is having a fantastic season on the PGA Tour and is vying for a spot on another Ryder Cup team. He is currently in 10th place for the United States standings and has a strong chance at qualifying for the team. The former Georgia Bulldog is also No. 19 in the Official World Golf Rankings. He won the Farmers Insurance Open to hit that five-win mark earlier this season. English also has runner-up finishes at the PGA Championship and The Memorial. He also recently recorded a T4 at the Travelers Championship. More Golf: Tiger Woods' Legendary Ex-Caddie Names Most Important Win of Career

Genesis Scottish Open Thursday live leaderboard updates, tee times, where to watch
Genesis Scottish Open Thursday live leaderboard updates, tee times, where to watch

USA Today

time6 hours ago

  • USA Today

Genesis Scottish Open Thursday live leaderboard updates, tee times, where to watch

The PGA Tour goes across the pond this week for the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open, the 31st of 36 regular-season events on the calendar this year. The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, is the host venue once again. The golf course ranks 10th on the Golfweek's Best 2025: The top 50 classic courses in Great Britain and Ireland list. The 7,282-yard, par-70, Tom Doak-design opened in 2001. This is the fourth year that the Scottish Open is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour as well as the DP World Tour as part of the Strategic Alliance. 2025 Genesis Scottish Open leaderboard Check out the live scores here Thursday and through the final round Sunday. What time is it in Scotland? Scotland is five hours ahead of ET. Who's in the field for the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open? Defending champion Robert MacIntyre returns. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will be there. Masters champ Rory McIlroy will be there, too. The third member of the 2025 major winners club, J.J. Spaun, who won the U.S. Open, is also there as is Xander Schauffele. In all, the field is highlighted by eight of the top 10 players in the world ranking. What are the best groups to watch at 2025 Genesis Scottish Open? You can see the complete Scottish Open tee times here. The most interesting groups are: Where, how to watch the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open? What's the prize money at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open? The total purse for the 2025 Scottish Open is $9 million and the winner will take home $1.53 million. Is there a pathway into the British Open from the Scottish? Yes, the PGA Tour says: "The Genesis Scottish Open is the final event of the Open Qualifying Series. The leading three players come Sunday night, not already exempt, will earn their spot at The Open at Royal Portrush."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store