Hole-in-one hit twice within minutes during Fargo school tryouts

FARGO - Steve Kennedy has just about seen, done and heard it all in coaching the game of golf.

He's coached boys golf for 22 years and is in his second year of coaching the Fargo Davies team.

Because of his experience, there is not much that Kennedy can't explain or understand on the golf course. But on Wednesday there was a series of rare occurrences that left Kennedy scratching his head.

Freshman Davies golfers Brandon Winter and Collin Larson each hit holes-in-one off the higher green of the 140-yard, par-3 hole No. 4 at Rose Creek Golf Course using 9 irons during a qualifying round of team tryouts.

That's two golfers, two holes-in-one, same hole, same club selection and same day.

"In all my 22 years of coaching, I don't know if I've heard anything like that happening," Kennedy said. "I can't recall any of my players ever hitting a hole-in-one in practice or during a tournament. I know some of them had holes-in-one, but never during high school. Then to have two in one day on the same hole, it was exciting."

It was the first holes-in-one for Winter and Larson.

Larson teed off first and was the first to record an ace. Winter followed with his shot minutes later.

The coincidence of Winter's and Larson's shots both falling is almost too much to believe, but there was another common thread between the pair of aces.

Both Winter and Larson almost had identical shots. Each golfer had their shots go short and bounce off the cart path onto the green before finding the bottom of the cup.

"When I saw it bounce up and start rolling, I was just hoping I would get close," Larson said. "Then when it dropped in, I couldn't believe it."

Winter's shot was equally as bouncy and exciting.

"It was kind of surprising, because the first couple holes didn't go my way," Winter said. "Right away when I shot it I kind of looked up, so my shot went kind of crazy. It bounced off the cart path, it rolled in and I just didn't know what to do so I just stood there."

When word spread of Winter's hole-in-one, Larson wasn't quick to accept the news.

"I didn't believe them at first," Larson said. "I thought they were messing with me, but I found out it was true when the coaches told me."

PGA golf pro Matt Cook said there are about 15 holes-in-one every year at Rose Creek, and only once in his time as a pro at the course has there been two holes-in-one on the same day.

"It's pretty incredible," Cook said. "To have it happen on the same hole and basically in the same team of golfers is pretty unique. I wish I would have been out at the course to see their reaction."

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