DUBLIN: A hole-in-one is a rare occurrence but a successful attempt that comes with two cars as the reward is even rarer.
Jordan Smith savoured the moment at the Scottish Open yesterday as the Englishman and caddie Sam Matton won new cars for his ace on the par-three 17th at The Renaissance Club.
Smith, who has one victory on Europe’s DP World Tour, landed his ball 50 feet from the flag but managed to guide it into the hole en route to a one-under 69 in the second round.
Smith was rewarded with a Genesis Electrified GV70, a mid-size SUV, while Matton won a Genesis GV60, an electric cross-over vehicle.
“We’ve been chatting about it during the week saying that pin over there could be a good chance for a hole-in-one. It just happened today,” said the 29-year-old Smith.
“The wind was howling off the right. Anything right of the pin would catch the slope and lucky enough that it did. Even though we couldn’t see it, the crowd went nuts.”
Smith, however, might have a hard time taking his new possession home, since he has his own car with him in Scotland.
“Might have to ship it back somehow. I’m over the moon,” he added.
Smith and Matton have been long-time friends but started working together only at the start of the year.
“He’s a big part of that hole, so it’s great that they have managed to support caddies for that as well,” Smith said.

The Open winner to receive record $2.5mn prize
The winner of next week’s 150th Open Championship at St Andrews will receive a record $2.5mn, tournament organisers announced.
That is up from the $2.07mn collected by last year’s Claret Jug winner Collin Morikawa.
The total prize pool for this year’s major is $14mn, a 22 percent increase from 2021 and a 60 percent boost since 2016.
“There have been significant changes in prize money over the last year,” R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said yesterday.
“We have made this substantial investment while balancing our wider commitments to developing golf at all levels around the world and to continuing to elevate the AIG Women’s Open.”
Action gets underway on Thursday at the Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland.