59-Year-Old Retired Marine Cards A 57 In Golf Tournament, Aces 3 Holes

Dan Regester10 years ago

Sitting in my apartment waiting for an Uber to take me to Dirty 6th, I was scrolling through my twitter timeline when I came across this insane report by way of my friends over at Golf Channel. Sorry to take business away from you, Jafar (seriously my Uber driver’s name), but this story was too incredible to put off to the morning. Patrick Wills, a 59-year-old Marine Corps vet, shot the round of his life during a Virginia golf tournament this past week.

Wills, typically a plus-4 handicap, carded an incredible 57 at the par-71 Laurel Hill Golf Club in Lorton, Virginia, back on June 22. Our boy aced not one, not two, but three holes — two of which were par 4s.

From Will Gray and Golf Channel:

Laurel Hill, a par-71 layout which hosted the 2013 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, was set up by Keating, the tournament director, to get easier as the day of endurance progressed, meaning players moved up a tee box with each subsequent round. The second round was played from the white tees, which measured 6,021 yards.

Wills birdied four of the first six holes, even dropping a shot on the par-3 fourth hole. But the highlights began on No. 7, a par-4 measuring 278 yards. Wills said he lasered the distance as 250 yards to the front of the green, hit a “baby-draw 3-wood” and then went to go find the ball.

“I was trying to be realistic, so I started looking on the back of the green,” Wills said. “I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.”

Wills made the turn in 29. Three holes later, he hit a driver on the 311-yard 10th hole. The shot looked pretty good, but Wills was still shocked when his playing partners told him the ball was in the hole – again.

“I literally said to myself, ‘Get real.’ I thought they were teasing me,” he said. “Never in my wildest imagination did I think I could get multiple ones in the same round.”

His imagination needed to get even wilder. He pulled up to the par-3 14th hole, playing 176 yards uphill, and jarred a 5-iron. At this point, Wills’ playing partners were “dumbfounded,” but he tried to keep calm.

“I still had four more holes to play,” he said. “I knew I had a special round going, and I didn’t want to throw that away.”

Wills played his final four holes in 1 under to post a 14-under 57, but the score could have been even lower. He reached the green on the par-5 18th in two shots, only to three-putt from 18 feet, drawing similarities to Dustin Johnson’s painful close the same day at the U.S. Open.

“I almost would say that I can empathize with him now,” Wills said.

How about this fucking dude shooting a 57 and being disappointed he didn’t go lower? I’ll make sure to pour some out tonight for that soul crushing three-putt, Wills. I’m sure you felt just like D.J. at the U.S. Open.

Also, as a guy that has put it inches away from the cup but has yet to add an ace to my distinguished golfing résumé, I’d lose my mind seeing a playing partner hole out from the tee three times in one round. Nothing personal, Wills. I’m extremely grateful for your service, but I’m taking my 9-iron to your dome if I was with you during that third ace. .

[via Golf Channel]

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