Getty Tiger Woods celebrates his hole-in-one at the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale at the 1997 Phoenix Open.
The golf world is full of iconic par-3s. Augusta National has “Golden Bell,” the 155-yard 12th hole that annually ranks as one of the biggest challenges for those fortunate enough to tee it up at The Masters. The 16th at Augusta has provided plenty of memorable moments as well.
The stunning seventh at Pebble Beach plays just 107 yards but provides a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean. There’s the famed 17th at TPC Sawgrass, which features the island green that’s given countless golfers fits at The Players Championship. Pete Dye’s “Pinched Nerve” at Whistling Straits has had a similar effect.
There’s the “Postage Stamp” at Royal Troon and “Calamity Corner” at Royal Portrush. The list goes on and on.
Then, of course, there’s the 16th hole on the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, which may not boast the beauty of those mentioned above but has undoubtedly become one of the most well-known par-3s in the game. Other par-3s play a part in an event. But the 16th hole at the WM Phoenix Open is an event on its own.
Aptly known as the Coliseum, the 163-yard hole is surrounded by grandstands and skyboxes, which approximately 20,000 people fill each and every round at the Phoenix Open. And that’s not counting the hundreds who wait outside hoping to get in. Trust me, I’ve seen it firsthand. To put that in perspective, Madison Square Garden holds 19,500 people.
Part of the beauty of the 16th is that it’s really the only place on the PGA Tour where it’s acceptable to boo a player for hitting a wayward shot. But while the boos can get quite loud, the roars that reward a good approach are far more deafening. And the roars that accompany a hole-in-one? Forget about it.
But those hole-in-one cheers have been few and far between since the Phoenix Open made the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale its permanent home in 1987. In fact, while it may seem as if there’s been far more, the 16th has only yielded 11 aces.
A List of Every Hole-in-One at the 16th Hole of the Phoenix Open
The first ace recorded at golf’s most prominent party hole came during the third round of the 1988 Phoenix Open from Hal Sutton. Carlos Ortiz struck the most recent in the final round of the 2022 event.
Here’s a quick look at every hole-in-one at the 16th at TPC Scottsdale during the Phoenix Open.
- Hal Sutton, 1988, 3rd Round
- Brad Bryant, 1990, 1st Round
- David Edwards, 1990, 3rd Round
- Jay Delsing, 1991, 1st Round
- Tiger Woods, 1997, 3rd Round
- Steve Stricker, 1997, 4th Round
- Mike Sposa, 2002, 2nd Round
- Jarrod Lyle, 2011, 3rd Round
- Francesco Molinari, 2015, 3rd Round
- Sam Ryder, 2022, 3rd Round
- Carlos Ortiz, 2022, 3rd Round
Tiger Woods’ Hole-in-One at the 1997 Phoenix Open Brought the House Down
The most famous hole-in-one at the 16th, of course, belongs to Tiger Woods.
Still more than two months away from capturing the first of his 15 major championships, 21-year-old Tiger came to the 1997 Phoenix Open two weeks removed his third PGA Tour victory.
Victory number four didn’t come that week at TPC Scottsdale as he tied for 18th, but Woods produced one of the most iconic shots of his career with his ace at the 16th, which sent the crowd into an absolute frenzy.
We’ve seen Tiger amped up plenty of times throughout his illustrious career, but this ranks right up there among those magic moments.
Stats courtesy of PGATour.com.