It was the Wednesday of the 2018 Masters when Tony Finau made an ace on the 7th hole. An ace calls for celebration, always. Finau knew it, obviously, but the ace was more special because it was his Augusta debut. So, he did he had to. He ran backward in celebration when he slipped and turned his ankle. After another step, he dropped to his knee and reached for his ankle. He seemingly popped his ankle back in place before sheepishly walking back and limping. “Crazy day. Thanks for thoughts of concern, messages and prayers from all. I’m optimistic,” he wrote at the time. Twenty-four hours, a rushed MRI, and surely endless icing later, he somehow teed it up and finished in the top 10 that week. He made the best of what situation presented to him, but that instance is still a core memory in his head, and his recent outing at the Valero Texas Open proves that.

At the beginning of the par-3 16 at TPC San Antonio, Tony Finau was 1 under par. The projected cutline was 2 under par. At the end of the par-3 16, Tony Finau was 3 under par. Wait, that means he scored a hole-in-one. Yes, yes he did. The six-time PGA Tour winner came up clutch. His tee shot was in line, and after bouncing on the green, the ball rolled forward and straight to the pin.

While the ace in itself was stunning, what was even more surprising was his rather muted celebrations. The American golfer threw his club away, threw his cap into the crowd, and let out a happy roar after the stroke. But one important thing he didn’t do was move a lot from where he was standing. Flashbacks from 2018, we guess.

Freak injuries like these on the course are uncommon but not rare. The 2011 French Open Champion Thomas Levet fractured his shin after his victory when he and his caddie decided to jump into the pond next to the green. The French golfer was ruled out of The Open Championship that was happening a few weeks later.

After the muted celebration at the TPC San Antonio, fans were quick to call his chill reaction and associate it with his past folly.

Fans mock Tony Finau’s celebration

One fan took to X and shared a GIF of the incident at the Masters, stating, “Tony learned from last time he got an ace.” Another fan was also disappointed in the lack of verve in the celebration, sarcastically noting that there was “No dislocated ankle?” in the celebration.

Despite the muted celebration, there was one moment that stood out. After all the congratulatory handshakes and hugs, Finau acknowledged the crowd’s applause and started walking backward, but with a leisurely pace. This immediately reminded a fan of what transpired at the Masters Tournament seven years ago, prompting him to reply, “Walking backwards..? Ballsy.”

One user gave the context that the rest of the social media needed to set the situation straight. “You can tell he wanted to take off running after that ace but he probably learned better after destroying his ankle last time he did that at the Masters par 3 contest. Heck of a shot but even better to not bust your ankle right before the Masters… again…” The Masters is just about to begin in less than a week and Finau would like to have a shot at the Green Jacket, and he sure needs his ankle for that!

One fan had a word of caution as well, imploring Tony Finau to stay where you are and not to make any movements toward the hole. The netizen stated, “Don’t run to it.” Better heed that warning, Finau!

Finau is currently 3 under par and placed T37. While he still has a long way to go to challenge for the trophy this weekend, he will be looking to use the momentum to push himself higher up the standings and look for a better finish. Where do you think the six-time PGA Tour winner will finish at the end of the Valero Texas Open?