Round Two of the U.S. Open featured some incredible shots at opportune times. But perhaps no singular shot on the entire day mattered more to one golfer than Francesco Molinari’s final shot of the day on the ninth hole at Pinehurst No. 2.
Molinari didn’t have the best day and hasn’t had the best tournament overall, going into the hole at +7. The projected cut line to play the weekend at the time he stepped up to the ninth tee box sat at +5, meaning that he would need a hole-in-one on the Par 3 hole to even have a chance at making the cut.
He did just that, hitting his tee shot to the front of the green, trickling down near the hole, and ultimately going in.
Francesco Molinari makes this unbelievable hole-in-one to get to +5, the projected cut line on his final hole of the day!🔥pic.twitter.com/zs4huYwl1Q
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) June 14, 2024
You would be hard-pressed to find a more clutch golf shot in this entire tournament, if at all considering where Molinari was sitting coming into the hole.
Fans had plenty to say about the unbelievable shot, taking to social media to praise Molinari for the timely hole-in-one.
Francesco Molinari needed a hole-in-one on 18 to make the cut at the US Open.
Bang.
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 14, 2024
Francesco Molinari needed a hole-in-one on his last hole to make the cut at the US Open.
You won’t BELIEVE what happened!!!!
— Daniel Hussey (@DanielHussey2) June 14, 2024
This is outstanding. Francesco Molinari sinks a hole in one to make the cut at the US Open! That’s like Golf’s version of a buzzer beater in basketball!
More Golf Courses should make their 18th holes a Par 3. This concludes my TedTalk
— Noah Bieniek (@NoahB77_) June 14, 2024
FRANCESCO MOLINARI HOLE IN ONE TO MAKE THE CUT!?!?!?!?!
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) June 14, 2024
Francesco Molinari with a hole in one to make the cut at the U.S. Open on his last hole! How cool is that!
— Tour Pro 🏌️‍♂️ (@OfficialTourPro) June 14, 2024
Molinari finds himself ten strokes back from the lead after two rounds. So the chances of him actually contending on the weekend are still very slim.
But with that being said, making the cut at the U.S. Open will result in a pretty nice payday for the former Open Championship winner as long as he finishes in the top 60. Anyone in the top 60 gets paid at least $42,000, with prizes going as high as $3.9 million if Molinari is able to miraculously climb to the top of the leaderboard on the weekend.
