Straka strikes with ace at par-3 ninth at US Open

Austrian Sepp Straka made a hole-in-one at the par-3 ninth hole at Pinehurst on Friday in the second round of the 124th US Open.

The 31-year-old blasted his tee shot at the 194-yard hole and it bounced onto the green then rolled into the hole.

Straka celebrated the shot with hugs and high-fives with his caddie, Duane Bock, and his playing partners in the group, Americans JT Poston and Peter Malnati.

Straka's ace lifted him to two-over par for the round and the tournament after he fired a level par 70 on Thursday.

He had already made a triple bogey at the par-4 third and sandwiched a birdie at the par-5 fifth between two bogeys earlier on the front nine.

Straka had his best major finish last year when he shared second at the British Open.

Straka has won two career US PGA Tour titles, taking the 2022 Honda Classic and 2023 John Deere Classic.