Francesco Molinari is believed to be the first player to make a tournament cut with a walk-off ace.
PINEHURST, N.C. — When you come to the final hole needing a hole-in-one to make the cut at the U.S. Open, you come to the final hole without a prayer. There’s no chance you’re going to walk off with an ace, right?
NBC anchor Mike Tirico agreed. “Molinari…going to miss the cut,” he said late on Friday at Pinehurst No. 2, while introducing the shot. Only Brad Faxon gave him an inkling of hope, saying, “Unless he pulls a Sepp Straka,” referring to the other ace on No. 9 this week.