Sam Ryder’s hole-in-one sparks wild beer-filled scene at Phoenix Open

Sam Ryder sank it in the cup, and then everyone else lost theirs.

In a beautifully chaotic scene in Arizona on Saturday, Ryder stepped up to the frenzied 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale — unique because of the three levels of grandstands that surround it, allowing around 20,000 rowdy fans to get a glimpse — and aced it, setting off pandemonium.

On the 124-yard par-3 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Ryder stuck the shot a few feet right of the pin and spun it left, good for a hole-in-one that resulted in plenty of hugs and plenty more lost cups and cans.

CBS footage shows shaking grandstands, partying people, all sorts of liquids in the air and dozens of beer cans and cups on the course.

“We are covered in beer and other liquids I believe,” CBS broadcaster Amanda Balionis said on the telecast.

It took a few minutes for everything to get cleaned up.

“We might have a slight rain delay here,” Balionis added.

The shot helped the 32-year-old Ryder move into a tie for 29th at 6-under, trailing leader third-round leader Sahith Theegala by eight strokes. But no matter where he finishes in the tournament, he will have this memorable shot for a lifetime.

“I don’t know how I could pick a hole over this one,” said Ryder after an even-par 71. “I don’t think there’s any hole that has the electricity that this one has.”

Ryder’s first tour ace was the 10th at No. 16 since the tournament moved to the course in 1997 and first since Francesco Molinari in the third round in 2015. Tiger Woods did it in 1997 before grandstands ringed the hole.

“It just ended up being a perfect 54-degree wedge,” Ryder said. “Everything always plays a little shorter in there, adrenaline or whatever it is.”

— with AP