Curtis Luck nails a hole-in-on on the 17th at the Australian PGA

An ace early on Friday at the Australian PGA’s party hole didn’t replicate the mayhem in Adelaide earlier this year.

There was no beer shower for Curtis Luck when he nailed a hole-in-one at the Australian PGA’s party hole early on Friday morning.

The purpose-built grandstands surrounding the short par-three, 125m 17th hole had about 200 people in them when the 27-year-old West Australian got the perfect amount of spin from his gap wedge off the tee.

A sellout crowd of 3000 fans are expected to fill those same stands at Royal Queensland across the weekend when a similar effort could get the same treatment as Chase Koepka when he nailed an ace at the “watering hole” during the LIV event in Adelaide in April.

But Luck had to settle for some enthusiastic applause and a high-five from a young fan as he walked to the 18th tee.

“You can talk to the PGA of Australia about giving me that (6.50am) tee time,” he joked when asked about missing out on achieving the feat in front of what would been a raucous afternoon crowd.

“It wasn’t too busy being earlier this morning, so there weren’t many people out there and I don’t think anyone got it on camera which sucks … (but) the immediate rush of adrenaline kicks in, and I think I nearly broke my playing partner’s hand.”

His effort lifted Luck up towards the top of the leaderboard and he finished the day at eight-under after a second-round 67.

🚨 HOLE-IN-ONE ALERT 🚨@CurtisLuck6 is the first of the tournament to hole out on the Southern Comfort Party Hole! 🥳#AusPGApic.twitter.com/vvpy4V9GxC

— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) November 23, 2023

“It’s a golf course suits me because it’s not overly penalising off the tee. Then you’ve got to be very smart and your golf IQ needs to be with you hitting into the greens and I would say that’s one of my strengths,” he said.

Luck, who plies his trade on the US Korn Ferry Tour, gave his hole-in-one ball to Theo Smith, the four-year-old son of his caddie Duane Smith.

Theo’s mother, Australian professional golfer Sarah Jane Smith, was also among the “party hole” spectators fortunate enough to see Luck’s ace.

“I was able to get the ball to Theo. It was awesome to see them. I’m used to seeing those guys over in Orlando where I live and they live. It’s nice to have some support out here,” Luck said.

Party holes have become a must at golf tournaments looking to both attract more fans and take the game forward, copying the success of the Phoenix Open in the US, which attracts tens of thousands to the huge grandstands lining the 16th hole.

Adelaide’s inaugural LIV event was highlighted by Koepka’s stunning effort and the resultant celebrations with he and his player partners surrounded by beer cups after nailed the first and only hole-in-one during the tournament at the Grange Golf Club.

CHASE KOEPKA WITH THE ACE AT THE WATERING HOLE!

Madness in Adelaide! #LIVGolfpic.twitter.com/m70i1PrURj

— LIV Golf Updates (@LIVGolfUpdates) April 23, 2023