PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Surrounded by some of the most famous water in golf, Will Wilcox ended one of the sport's more curious droughts.
With a pitching wedge from 147 yards, Wilcox carded a hole-in-one on the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass, just the seventh there in Players Championship history since moving to this course in 1982.
Even more bizarre is that it had been 14 years since Miguel Angel Jimenez had the last ace on this hole during the tournament -- a span of more than 6,300 tee shots.
Upon holing his tee shot using a yellow ball, Wilcox exuberantly pumped his fist and celebrated with his caddie and playing partners. As he walked toward the green, he high-fived seemingly every spectator within arm's reach.
"If you don't freak out in that moment ... I've seen so many tour players make hole-in-ones and hole shots and they're just like, nothing,'' said Wilcox, the 29-year-old free spirit from Alabama. "Like, 'What's wrong with you?' So especially in that situation, I get pumped up.''
It was the first hole-in-one for Wilcox in his PGA Tour career and the 13th of his life. There have now been 22 aces on the PGA Tour during the 2015-16 season.
Aces at No. 17 @THEPLAYERSChamp updated @willwilcoxgolf pic.twitter.com/BWi23UwvqR
— PGA TOUR Media (@PGATOURmedia) May 13, 2016
With play suspended due to weather later Friday, Wilcox took some time to celebrate his ace with others at TPC Sawgrass.
Beers on Wilcox. pic.twitter.com/Zvnl2V1EyE
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelESPN) May 13, 2016
He was solid the rest of the way for a 71 to finish at 5-under 139 and easily make the cut. The hole-in-one was great. But playing on the weekend of golf's richest tournament was meaningful, too.
"I'm just glad I'm going to be around for the weekend,'' Wilcox said. "Obviously, the hole-in-one is huge, but playing for this big purse, and I'm just trying to keep my card. To make the cut in this thing is awesome because I missed the cut by a mile last weekend in Charlotte. I love this golf course.''
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
