Anthony Kim had a hole-in-one at 17.
Anthony Kim, a former U.S. Ryder Cup player, is in the midst of reviving his golf game, and he took a strong step forward Thursday at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge with an opening 3-under-par 69 that included his first career hole-in-one on the PGA TOUR.
"I've been working really hard and actually just keeping out of my own way, and even though that should be the easiest thing for a professional golfer, it's the hardest," said Kim, who has made only one cut in his first six starts this year. "I've been running my head into a brick wall. So I moved away from the brick wall and now I can swing and make some birdies out there."
And eagles, too.
Kim used a 5-iron for his ace on the 17th from 203 yards out. Though it was his first hole-in-one on the PGA TOUR, it was his ninth overall. Since 1979, there have been 15 aces in the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard. Kim's is the first in the tournament since Webb Simpson scored a "1" the same hole in 2009. Kim's is the seventh ace at the 17th in tournament history.
"I didn't even know it went in," Kim confessed. I think Zach [Johnson] said it went in, and I looked over and it was missing. So it was nice to hit a good golf shot. I was hitting the ball very well."