Week-End Golfer Strikes It Rich With A $10,000 Hole-In-One

With the odds of an amateur golfer making a hole-in-one being 12,500 to 1, it was boomtime for golfer David Pennell over the weekend striking it rich with a $10,000 hole-in-one.

Making the story more fantastic, Mr Pennell hit the hole-in-one on the remote sand green of the Quilpie Golf Club in far reaches of western Queensland, as part of the Outback Queensland Masters.

“After fifty-one years of playing golf, I finally hit a hole-in-one. I just hit a sweet five iron club and into the hole she went. I can’t believe it!” exclaimed David Pennell, amateur golfer from Canberra. “It’s really amazing. What are the odds? I’ve never even hit a hole-in-one.”

“This is by far the most challenging par-3 I’ve ever played, and on one of the most challenging golf courses in Australia, I even snapped my lucky five iron later in the day.  It’s quite different to the greens in Canberra that I’m used to,” laughed David.

When asked what he will do with the $10,000, David replied “Well I just ordered a $10,000 golf buggy, so it’s going straight to that, keeping the spending going round in the industry.”

David Pennell and his wife Karen are travelling over 1,900km on a journey playing in the 2021 Outback Queensland Masters.  He hit the hole-in-one with travellers Alice and Graham Burton from Cooktown.

“This is the richest amateur prize pool in the world and Australia’s most remote golf series,” said Luke Bates, Queensland Manager, Golf Australia. “To be here and see this happen on the sand greens in Quilpie is amazing. It really is golf of a different kind out here. Many of the players on tour are vying for the million-dollar hole-in-one challenge at the end of this six-location golf series. The event commenced in Biloela, we then played in Charleville and Quilpie.  We’re now enroute to Blackall, Hughenden and culminating in Longreach for the million dollar-hole-in-one at the end of this month.”

“The natural beauty of this place, combined with the generous and friendly locals, really sums up the essence of why we’re holding this unique golf event,” explains Luke Bates.

“It’s been developed to encourage visitors to spread the economic benefit to as much of the outback as possible, while experiencing some incredibly unique locations, golf courses and outback Queensland hospitality. The Outback Queensland Masters is presented by Golf Australia and partnered by Tourism & Events Queensland and the PGA with six local government authorities, including this weekend with the Quilpie Shire Council.”

“It’s so incredible to see this happen on our own sand greens at the Quilpie Golf Club. We’ve been blown away at the number of visitors,” explains Bruce Paulsen, President of the Quilpie Golf Club, and local grocer.

“And it’s not just David Pennell striking it rich,” said Bruce. “Just the other day, we sold some 70 loaves of bread within our first hour of opening.  We just love living out here, and it looks like everyone else is discovering it too.”

To further support local communities in Outback Queensland, the Outback Qld Masters brings PGA Pro, Darren Weatherall to each location to run their free Junior Golf Clinics, giving kids in the local district an opportunity to try their hand at golf. “It’s wonderful to be able to help young people and give them the opportunity to experience an event like this in their own back yard,” explained Darren Weatherall, PGA professional on tour and host of the Junior Clinics.  “Maybe one of them will also be a future hole-in-one winner!”

Event 1 Biloela – June 19 & 20, 2021
Event 2 Charleville – June 26 & 27, 2021
Event 3 Quilpie – July 3 & 4, 2021
Event 4 Blackall – July 10 & 11, 2021
Event 5 Hughenden – July 17 & 18, 2021
Event 6 Longreach – July 23, 24 & 25, 20