Changing Room Chat: Belfry’s tenth produces its first ace

A HOLE known to millions of golf fans around the world due mainly to the excitement it has generated at Ryder Cups – the tenth at The Belfry – has finally produced its first ace.

Welsh three-handicapper Dan O’Connor has done what Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and so many other superstars failed to do by hitting his tee shot over the water and into the hole for an albatross on the famous par-4.

The hole measured 301 yards on the day – it has a variety of tees to create a risk-and-reward element – and the 19-year-old from Maesteg said: “It’s my first hole-in-one and definitely the highlight of my golfing career so far.”

Since its opening in 1977 the hole has figured in four Ryder Cups and 11 European Tour events.

A plaque was laid down after Seve Ballesteros became the first just to hit the green when playing against Nick Faldo in the 1978 Hennessy Cup.

Former world No 1 Woods once said of the tenth at The Belfry: “It was the perfect match-play hole. You could make 2 or you could make 6. That’s what made it so much fun to play.”