Amateur Golfer Scores Rare Hole-in-One At Masters Tournament

Amateur Golfer Scores Rare Hole-in-One At Masters Tournament...

An amateur golfer stunned spectators at the Masters Tournament on Sunday with a hole-in-one on Augusta National's iconic 16th hole. The shot, captured live during CBS's final-round broadcast, marked just the 34th ace in Masters history and the first by a non-professional since 2018.

The moment occurred at 2:47 PM ET when 22-year-old college golfer Jake Carter's 8-iron shot from 170 yards landed perfectly on the green and rolled straight into the cup. The Georgia Tech senior earned his Masters invitation by winning last year's U.S. Amateur Championship.

Social media erupted immediately after the shot, with #MastersHoleInOne trending nationwide by 3:15 PM. Tournament officials confirmed it was only the 9th ace ever recorded on the challenging 16th hole, known as "Redbud" for its treacherous water hazard.

Carter's feat comes during heightened interest in amateur golf following last month's controversial NCAA rule changes. The shot was replayed 14 times during CBS's broadcast, with analyst Jim Nantz calling it "the most electric amateur moment at Augusta since 1996."

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley presented Carter with the traditional crystal bowl awarded for holes-in-one. The young golfer told reporters afterward: "I blacked out for a second when the crowd erupted. This is why you practice those 8-irons every day."

The Masters continues through Sunday afternoon, with final-round play currently underway. Carter's ace helped him finish as low amateur, though he remains well behind the professional leaders. Golf analysts note such moments often launch amateur careers, as happened with Tiger Woods' famous 1997 Masters performance.