Countdown to The Masters 2011 – Day Three: Sluman’s hole-in-one at 4
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Welcome to Day Three of the Today’s Golfer Countdown to The Masters 2011. Every day from February 17th until the big day when the season’s first Major tees off, April 7th, we will be bringing you some of our favourite memorable moments from The Masters since the tournament started in 1934.
There is no question which is the toughest par 3 to conquer on the Augusta layout; it took 58 years before anyone aced the fourth hole.
That man was Jeff Sluman in the second round in 1992 and no one else has been able to write ‘1’ on their scorecard for that hole since. The hole was playing 213 yards and he hit a 4-iron.
“Obviously, it is the toughest if I’m the only one who’s ever done it,” said Sluman, who made bogey on the hole in Thursday’s first round. “It’s nice to know I’ve done something there that nobody’s done.”
About Augusta’s par 3s Sluman said: “They are very difficult and demanding as far as your control of the golf ball and the control of your distance; you don’t just randomly get up on any of those holes and pull a club.
“You have to think on every shot out there. You and your caddie have to determine what the right club is, then go ahead and try to execute it.”
Sluman said jokingly that “it’s unbelievable” there isn’t a plaque on the hole commemorating his ace.”
But he doesn’t think he’ll be the only one to ace the 4th: “With all the great players, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a hole-in-one on it. No record is safe. With one lucky shot, anybody in the tournament can make a hole-in-one on it.
“You have to hit a good shot. I think Ben Hogan said a great shot is within two feet of the hole and it’s lucky if it goes in.”
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