Whitnell makes 2 holes-in-one in 1 round

DURBAN, South Africa — Englishman Dale Whitnell became just the second player in European Tour history to make two holes-in-one in a single round at the South African Open Championship on Friday.

The world number 545 holed out from 185 yards with a seven iron on the par-three second hole before repeating the feat with a wedge shot on the 128-yard 12th.

Australian Andrew Dodt is the only other European Tour golfer to have multiple holes-in-one in a round — at the 2013 Nordea Masters.

Whitnell, 36, had never had a competitive hole-in-one in his previous 153 tournaments on tour.

"Coming back after this morning I was struggling to make the cut, so I knew I needed to go out and play well," he said.

"It is a weird feeling, everything in one. You are obviously excited and your adrenaline is pumping, but, at the same time, you have got to fo-cus on your job, but I managed to do that." Whitnell also eagled the par-five third and was five-under-par through three holes.

He needed to finish with three straight birdies to post a 59, but had an air shot en route to a double bogey on the 16th.

A crazy nine-under-par second round of 63 featured three eagles, including the two holes-in-one, seven birdies, one double-bogey, and two bogeys.

Whitnell sits five shots behind leader Shaun Norris of South Africa at the halfway stage in Durban.