AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Eight-year-old Frankie Fleetwood stole the show at Augusta Nationalfrom his dad, Tommy Fleetwood, who merely had one of the many holes-in-one Wednesday during the family friendly Par 3 Contest on the eve of the Masters.
The young Fleetwood went viral last year when he lamented in a post-round interview that he couldn’t clear Ike’s Pond, which fronts the ninth green on the par-3 course. So all eyes were on him this year, even after Tommy had aced the fourth hole an hour earlier.
“I’m not so confident,” Frankie admitted, “but honestly on the range this afternoon I felt good, so I feel like I got a chance.”
Frankie made solid contact with his tee shot on the 120-yard hole, but he was off line and the ball splashed right of the green. As he slumped in disappointment, the crowd packed shoulder to shoulder around the eighth and ninth holes implored him to take a mulligan, so Frankie reteed and took another big swing. This time, the ball missed the green by a couple of feet.
“Nearly got it. A few inches, maybe,” Frankie said.
“He was happy with his shots, and he was so close as well,” Tommy said. “Another year, right, Frank?”
