The 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale erupted in celebration Friday when Emiliano Grillo recorded a spectacular slam dunk hole-in-one during the second round of the WM Phoenix Open.
The Argentinian, who shot a 1-under 71 in Thursday’s first round, stepped up to the famous par-3 “Stadium hole” and struck his shot from 155 yards out. Instead of landing on the green, his ball flew directly into the cup, creating a dramatic slam dunk ace that sent the three-level grandstand crowd into a frenzy.
As the ball circled the flagstick before settling in the hole, the iconic “Loudest hole in golf” lived up to its nickname. Fans showered the area with beer cups and water bottles while Grillo celebrated by throwing his club into the air.
“I’ve been dreaming of this,” an elated Grillo told Golf Channel moments later. “I’ve been playing here 10 years. I got to see a couple.”
The ace marked Grillo’s second hole-in-one on the PGA Tour and his first since the 2019 Open Championship. It was also the second slam dunk hole-in-one in consecutive PGA Tour events, following Rory McIlroy’s ace last week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
This was the 12th hole-in-one at the 16th hole since the WM Phoenix Open moved to TPC Scottsdale in 1987, and the first since Sam Ryder and Carlos Ortiz both achieved the feat in 2022. Notably, it was only the second second-round ace at the hole in tournament history, with Mike Sposa recording the first in 2002.
The 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale remains one of golf’s most unique venues, where crowd celebrations rival those of other major sports. It’s one of the rare occasions in professional golf where fans are encouraged to create such a raucous atmosphere.
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