India's Anirban Lahiri recorded a hole-in-one at the par-three ninth hole in the British Open third round on Saturday when he struck a nine-iron 150 yards into the cup to spark wild celebrations.
The world No. 226, making his Open debut and partnering American Ted Potter Jr., notched the first ace of the 141st championship at the furthest point of the course away from the clubhouse to excite the Lytham galleries.
A grinning Lahiri raised both hands in the air and gave a bow after the rare shot. There is no prize for a hole in one here, just the honour on the next tee.
Snedeker starts well
Meanwhile, Brandt Snedeker and Adam Scott were holding firm in the lead in the third round as a talent-packed array of international talent tried to reel them in.
American Snedeker was leading the way on 10-under par following rounds of 66 and 64 that equalled the lowest first 36 holes in Open and Major championship history. Scott, from Australia, was one shot back after rounds of 64 and 67.
Next best was Tiger Woods, who was four shots off the pace, but he missed makeable putts at the first and third to fall further back.
Snedeker, who went bogey-free in the first two rounds, and Scott parred their first three holes, playing risk-free golf and waiting to see if anyone would make a run at them.
Masters champion Bubba Watson was the first to make a move up the leaderboard.
The big-hitting American started the day 10 strokes behind Snedeker, but five birdies in 13 holes against two bogeys saw him close to five off the pace as the leaders set off.
Watson though promptly started heading in the other direction with a bogey at the 14th and a wild double bogey at the next.
World No.1 Luke Donald of England was also looking to put himself into contention for Sunday, with a birdie at the third getting him to three under. But he, too, stumbled, taking a double-bogey six at the sixth after failing to get out of a pot bunker.
