Jason Bohn's Brushes with Greatness
The better-known of the two incidents in Bohn's past is his $1 million hole-in-one. In 1992, as a 19-year-old on the University of Alabama golf team, Bohn paid $1 to enter a million-dollar hole-in-one contest. And he made the ace. He has received a $50,000 annual payment ever since, the last of which is due in 2012. By taking the prize, Bohn forfeited his amateur eligibility and turned pro. What a way to quit your college golf team.
And best for golf fans, Bohn's ace was caught on tape. As was his arms-flailing-while-running-around-like-crazy reaction. Along with the phone call to his grandmother to tell her he'd just won a million bucks.
Bohn bounced around mini-tours while honing his game as a professional, getting into two PGA Tour events in 2000. He also got into his first Nationwide Tour event in 2000, another in 2002, and played full-time on the Nationwide in 2003. He won on the Nationwide Tour that year, and joined the PGA Tour in 2004.
But back in 2001, Bohn was playing on the Canadian Tour. And at that year's Canadian Tour Bayer Championship, Bohn won the trophy by shooting 58 in the final round. Not 59 — no, 59 is for chumps — but 58. And his round even included a bogey!
Bohn opened the final round going 9-under over the first seven holes, then bogied the eighth. He wound up with 10 birdies and two eagles in his 13-under par round. Bohn's round is one of two rounds of 58 that the Guinness Book of World Records recognizes as the world record for lowest 18-hole golf score — although there have been lower rounds recorded. Bohn's 58 — and the co-recognized 58 carded by Shigeki Maruyama in a U.S. Open sectional qualifier in 2000 — were posted in high-level competitions on championship golf courses.