TPC Scottsdale builds monument for Phoenix Open aces on No. 16, including for Jarrod Lyle
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TPC Scottsdale builds monument for Phoenix Open aces on No. 16, including for Jarrod Lyle

The 16th Hole at TPC Scottsdale
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In the history of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, there have been nine holes-in-one on the par-3 16th at TPC Scottsdale. Now, the tournament organizers are honoring those nine aces with a monument at pro golf's most raucous short hole.

A permanent marker has been placed on the 16th tee to commemorate all nine aces, including those by Tiger Woods in 1997 and Jarrod Lyle in 2011.

In addition, the Phoenix Open organizers have prepared a temporary memorial for Lyle, who died in August 2018 at 36 after a nearly 20-year, multi-time battle with acute myeloid leukemia. On the 16th tee box during Saturday's third round will be a replica of Lyle's Titleist staff bag, which will have several replica clubs he used, as well the actual 8-iron he used in the third round in 2011 to ace the 163-yard hole. The yellow bucket hat Lyle wore throughout his final years, as an ode to Leuk the Duke, a mascot for an Australian children's cancer charity, will be draped on the bag.

Near Lyle's bag will be a round plaque painted yellow and green, reading “In memory of Jarrod Lyle” and engraved in a circle around the edge of the plaque:  with the words “Hole-in-one, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011, 9:16 a.m., 150 yards, 8 iron. Rest in Peace."

A permanent marker will also be placed on the 16th tee to celebrate Lyle's hole-in-one and the eight other aces made there, including the most famous of all by Tiger Woods in 1997.

Woods' ace came at a different time for the 16th hole, well before the modern era of skyboxes, cheer sheets and multi-hour waits for a seat around the hole. However, one of the most eruptive moments in PGA Tour history is Woods raising the roof fervently as fans threw whole cups of beer to shower the 14-time major winner after his remarkable ace.

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Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is founder and editor of Golf News Net. He has been writing and broadcasting about golf for nearly 20 years. Ballengee lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family. He is a scratch golfer...sometimes.

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