PGA of America Golf Professional Frank Bensel recorded one of the most incredible, unlikely achievements in the Association’s 108-year history on June 28.
Bensel – who splits his time between Century Country Club in New York and The Country Club at Mirasol in Florida – made two aces in a row during the second round of the 2024 U.S. Senior Open at Newport (Rhode Island) Country Club.
Really.
According to the National Hole-in-One Registry, the odds of making two holes-in-one in the same round is 67 million to 1. The registry does not list the odds for making back-to-back aces. It was a first in the 1,001-tournament history of the USGA and believed to be the only time it has happened on any major golf tour.
“It was like an out-of-body experience,” explained Bensel, who’s 14-year-old son Hagen (named after Walter Hagen) was his caddie. “To even think that that could happen was amazing.”
Bensel aced the back-to-back par 3s on the front nine of Newport Country Club in Rhode Island. First, a dunk on the 184-yard fourth hole, followed by yet another hole-in-one on the 203-yard fifth.
He was playing in his first senior major at Newport Country Club, but Bensel’s no stranger to the highest level of competition. The 56-year-old has played in four majors, including the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont, and three PGA Championships.
Despite his memorable second-round feat, Bensel missed the cut with a two-day total of 9-over 149.
According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF), approximately 12.2 million U.S. adults took golf trips in 2023. This figure is close to the all-time record high set in 2022 (12.4 million), and 20 percent higher than the annual average between 1989–2023.
The number of golf travelers in 2024 is projected to exceed 12 million for the third straight year.
Golf tourism is the second largest economic driver in the golf industry, behind only facility operations. Per the NGF, golfers generate more than $31 billion in travel-related golf expenditures within the U.S.