Rory McIlroy made a spectacular start to his 2025 PGA Tour season by scoring a hole-in-one at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Thursday.
The Northern Irishman achieved the remarkable feat on just his sixth hole of the season at Spyglass Hills.
The world number three’s ace came in dramatic fashion, with the ball finding the bottom of the cup in a slam-dunk style on the par-3 15th hole.
The shot helped propel McIlroy into tied third position as he made an impressive start to the prestigious tournament.
Rory McIlroy hit an incredible hole-in-one that didn’t even touch the ground
Sky Sports
The ace moved McIlroy to three under par through his first six holes of play in the second signature event of the PGA Tour season.
Before his hole-in-one, McIlroy had started strongly, picking up a birdie on the 12th hole whilst parring his other opening holes.
The tournament carries significant weight with a substantial $20 million purse, with the winner set to take home £2.9million.
The no-cut event has attracted a star-studded field to the iconic California course, where McIlroy will be hoping to improve upon his previous performances at the venue.
The hole-in-one marked only McIlroy’s second ace on the PGA Tour throughout his illustrious career.
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His previous hole-in-one came during the first round of the 2023 Travelers Championship.
The achievement at Spyglass Hills adds another memorable moment to McIlroy’s tournament history at Pebble Beach, where he has competed twice before.
His debut at the event came in 2018, when he played alongside his father Gerry in the pro-am format.
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Rory McIlroy has had bad blood with the course previously
Sky Sports
That appearance proved challenging, with McIlroy struggling on the greens during the second round, ultimately missing the cut after a difficult Saturday performance.
The tournament represents a significant opportunity for McIlroy to secure a substantial payday at the iconic venue.
The four-time major champion will be particularly keen to banish memories of his previous outings at Pebble Beach.
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🚨 RORY MCILROY HOLE IN ONE ALERT 🚨
It’s only his second-ever ace on the PGA Tour! 🎊 pic.twitter.com/GaWhX4T1AT
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) January 30, 2025
His 2018 debut was marked by putting difficulties, including a challenging sequence on the par-four fifth hole where he required five putts.
That round saw him card a double bogey, contributing to a three-over second round score.
His tournament hopes that year ended after three bogeys in his final five holes of the front nine on Saturday, causing him to miss the cut.