(Reuters) – One-armed amateur Laurent Hurtubise recorded an improbable hole-in-one during the opening round of a PGA Tour event in La Quinta, California.
Hurtubise, who was born with one arm and started playing golf at age 11, aced the 151-yard par-three fourth hole at the PGA West Stadium Course during first-round action of The American Express on Thursday.
The left-handed golfer’s tee shot landed near the front of the green and made a beeline for the hole before slamming into the flagstick and dropping into the cup.
Hurtubise, who is among the amateurs competing alongside the professionals in a pro-am competition this week, raised his arm skyward and threw his hat in celebration, exchanging high-fives with his group.
“As a kid, sports was a way for me to prove that even though I had a difference that I could perform as well as normal people … as they call them,” Hurtubise told the Desert Sun.
“People have differences and handicaps and whatever, but it was my way to prove that I could be as good as everybody else.”
The PGA Tour’s Twitter account posted a clip of the ace and called it “inspirational” while Hurtubise’s playing partner Troy Merritt, a two-times winner on the PGA Tour, called the moment “the coolest experience I’ve had on the golf course.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Davis)
