Reporting from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. — Will Wilcox’s hole-in-one was the first at the iconic island green since 2002.
The 29-year-old responded with a one-of-a-kind celebration — and one for the ages at the Players Championship.
When his tee shot found the hole on the par-three 17th hole, Wilcox went wild.
“I’m glad I could provide some entertainment,” he joked afterward.
After his Srixon yellow golf ball rolled in from 147 yards, the 6-foot-1, 160-pound Wilcox jumped into caddy Michael Middlemo’s beefy arms, struck a flex pose and then enthusiastically high-fived playing partners Cameron Tringale and Daniel Summerhays.
Tringale gave Wilcox a big hug.
“It’s pretty amazing to see a hole-in-one there,” Tringale said. “My caddie and I were talking this week just about the best places to have a hole-in-one ever and this is right up there.
“If it was Sunday, I don’t know if I would have been doing that, but it was fun.”
The fun continued for Wilcox, who soon headed over to the crowd to high-five anyone he could. As he made his way to the green, Wilcox continued to engage fans who lined the walkway.
“I get pumped up,” the third-year Tour pro said. “I came in 15th in New Orleans and acted like I just won the Masters, and if I come in 38th here, then I’m going to party on Sunday night.
“I just enjoy everything that happens to me out here.”
A hole-in-one celebration at TPC Sawgrass’ signature hole was a long time coming.
Wilcox’s ace was the first in 6,300 shots since Miguel Angel-Jimenez jarred his tee shot on No. 17 during the first round in 2002.
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Jason Day of Australia plays a shot on the 15th hole Sunday during the final round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
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Jason Day takes a big divot while playing a shot at No. 14 on Sunday during the final round of the Players Championship.
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Jason Day acknowledges the cheers from spectators on the 13th green during the final round of the Players Championship on Sunday.
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American Matt Kuchar lines up his putt on the 16th green during the final round of the Players Championship on Sunday.
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Hideki Matsuyama of Japan hits his tee shot at No. 8 during the final round of the Players Championship on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass.
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Colt Knost of the United States reacts after almost making a chip on the second hole Sunday during the final round of the Players Championship.
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American Kevin Chappell hits his tee shot at No. 5 on Sunday during the final round of the Players Championship.
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Jason Day hits his tee shot at No. 8 on Sunday during the final round of the Players Championship.
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Justin Thomas of the United States acknowledges the gallery after finishing his round of seven-under 65 on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass.
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Alex Cejka of Germany reacts to his birdie on the 17th green during the third round of the Players Championship on Saturday.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland tees off at No. 17 during the third round of the Players Championship on Saturday.
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Jason Day lines up a putt at the ninth hole on Saturday during the third round of the Players Championship.
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Jason Day of Australia hits from a sand trap at the eighth hole during the third round of the Players Championship on Saturday.
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Kevin Chappell reacts after missing a putt during the Players Championship, where he finished second. (Scott Halleran / Getty Images)
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Russell Knox of Scotland kept his humor at the par-three 17th hole, the famous island green, where he raised his arms triumphantly after making a putt to score nine. He put four shots in the water.
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Hideki Matsuyama of Japan chips onto the 16th green during the third round of the Players Championship on Saturday.
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Ryan Palmer of the United States hits from a greenside sand trap at No. 2 during the third round of the Players Championship on Saturday.
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Ken Duke of the United States lines up a putt for birdie on the ninth green during the third round of the Players Championship on Saturday.
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Jonas Blixt of Sweden tees off at No. 10 during the second round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on Friday.
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American Jordan Spieth hits his tee shot at No. 3 on Friday during the second round of the Players Championship.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland watches his chip shot bounce on the ninth green during the second round of the Players Championship on Friday.
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Phil Mickelson follows his shot from the ninth tee during the second round of the Players Championship on Friday.
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Charley Hoffman of the United States tees off at No. 9 at TPC Sawgrass on Friday during the second round of the Players Championship.
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American Cameron Tringale hits from a sand trap at the eighth green on Friday during the second round of the Players Championship.
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Alex Cejka of Germany reacts after missing a birdie putt at No. 6 on Friday during the second round of the Players Championship.
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American Davis Love III putts from the edge of the 17th island green during the second round of the Players Championship on Friday.
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Jason Day of Australia hits his tee shot at No. 11 during the second round of the Players Championship on Friday at TPC Sawgrass.
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Justin Rose of England hits from a fairway sand trap on the second hole Friday during the second round of the Players Championship.
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In this black-and-white image, Henrik Stenson of Sweden hits his tee shot at No. 6 on Friday during the second round of the Players Championship.
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Danny Lee of New Zealand follows through on his tee shot at No. 11 during the second round of the Players Championship on Friday at TPC Sawgrass.
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Jason Day of Australia plays his shot from the 17th tee to the island green during the first round of the Players Championship on Thursday in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
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Jason Day acknowledges the fans at the ninth green during the first round of the Players Championships on Thursday, when he would tie the course record with a 63.
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Shane Lowry of Ireland shakes hands with caddie John McLaren after shooting a seven-under 65 during the first round of the Players Championship on Thursday.
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Justin Rose of England bounces the golf ball with his driver as he wait to tee off at No. 11 on Thursday during the first round of the Players Championship. Rose shot a seven-under 65.
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American Dustin Johnson hits from a sand trap alongside the ninth green during the first round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday. Johnson shot a two-under 70.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays from a hillside during the first round of the Players Championship on Thursday. McIlroy would finish at even-par 72.
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American Jordan Spieth drops his club on his follow through after teeeing off at No. 9 on Thursday during the first round of the Players Championship.
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American Rickie Fowler prepares to chip from off the 17th green during the first round of the Players Champioship on Thursday. The defending champion finished at even-par 72.
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Rory McIlroy follows through on his tee shot at No. 15 during the first round of the Players Championship on Thursday at TPC Sawgrass.
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Sergio Garcia of Spain tees off at No. 9 during the first round of the Players Championship on Thursday, when he shot an even-par 72.
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Bubba Watson of the United States watches his tee shot at No. 15 during the first round of the Players Championship on Thursday. Watson would finish at three-under 69.
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Jason Day plays a shot from a bunker at the 11th hole during the first round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday.
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Rory McIlroy tees off at No. 11 on Thursday during the first round of the Players Championship.
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Shane Lowry hits his approach shot at No. 4 on Thursday during the first round of the Players Championship.
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Dustin Johnson plays a shot from the fairway during the first round of the Players Championship on Thursday.
(Sam Greenwood / Getty Images) For Wilcox, a native of Birmingham, Ala., making a hole-in-one with the difficult back left hole location and his family in town made the moment even more special.
“For it to happen on that pin for me is crazy,” he said. “I was so nervous I could barely stand.”
Brotherly love
Golfer Dustin Johnson’s mistake became caddy Austin Johnson’s 15 minutes of fame.
Standing on the left edge of the green on the par-four fourth hole, the world’s No. 8 player accidentally dropped his ball in the water after his younger brother handed it over after cleaning it.
Dustin Johnson originally thought he could just replace the ball, but a rules official told him he would incur a two-stroke penalty if he did not finish the hole with the same ball.
Moments later, Austin climbed down into the drink to retrieve it, still wearing his shoes and hobbled by a cast for fractured right thumb. More than one ball was visible, but he luckily chose the correct one.
“I’m just glad I found it,” Austin Johnson said.
Big brother’s butterfingers did force him to walk the final five holes of the day in wets shoes in socks, but Austin Johnson said he had a dry pair in the locker room.
“I didn’t know what the deal was, if you had to go get it,” Dustin Johnson said. “But it was going to be a penalty, so there was no doubt that he was going in.”
Sergio surging
Sergio Garcia rebounded from an opening 72 with a six-under 66 on a course he has had his share of success.
The 2008 winner, Garcia is the only player to finish in the top-10 during each of the past three seasons. He tied for second last year after getting into a playoff with Kevin Kisner and eventual winner Rickie Fowler.
On Friday, Garcia made nine birdies and hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation.
