Eddie Pepperell grabbed a share of the first-round lead at the British Masters on Friday thanks to a 5-under par 67 in the first round at Walton Heath, but the story of the day was the bizarre ace he hit on the par-3 9th hole.
Playing 172 yards, Pepperell’s shot one-hopped into the pin, bounced backward and then spun forward into the cup for an ace.
Here’s a closer, slow-motion look at the moment.
? then ☝️ then ? pic.twitter.com/A9gB4Adgjl
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) October 11, 2018
The ace was worth £20,000 to the charity of Pepperell’s choice, although he joked he would have rather won a car.
“I wasn’t sure what really happened,” Pepperell said. “Yeah, it’s awesome. I say I’d rather do that than win a car, but that might be a lie. I’m kidding, of course.”
Pepperell announced on social media afterward that he would be giving £10,000 to the European Tour’s Cancer Research fund and £10,000 to Helen & Douglas House, a charity caring for terminally ill babies, children, and young people.
