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| Blind golfer Jim O'Brien hits 'incredible' hole-in-one at Hindhead Golf Club | Blind golfer Jim O'Brien hits 'incredible' hole-in-one at Hindhead Golf Club |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A blind golfer has a hit a hole-in-one during a tournament. | |
| Jim O'Brien, from Market Harborough in Leicestershire, achieved the feat on the sixth hole at the Peter Alliss Eye2Eye Challenge at Surrey's Hindhead Golf Club on Wednesday. | |
| The 71-year-old, who is fully blind and has been playing for 16 years, said, to his knowledge, he was only the third blind golfer to land such a shot. | The 71-year-old, who is fully blind and has been playing for 16 years, said, to his knowledge, he was only the third blind golfer to land such a shot. |
| Chris Donovan, the club's secretary, said it was an "amazing achievement". | Chris Donovan, the club's secretary, said it was an "amazing achievement". |
| Mr O'Brien said: "It's every golfer's dream, to do a hole-in-one especially if you're totally blind. | Mr O'Brien said: "It's every golfer's dream, to do a hole-in-one especially if you're totally blind. |
| "When I teed off, I hit the ball nicely. The only thought I had in my head was, 'Let's hope it makes the green'. | "When I teed off, I hit the ball nicely. The only thought I had in my head was, 'Let's hope it makes the green'. |
| "After a few seconds, the guys I was with said 'It's in the hole'. It was a great feeling - it's unbelievable." | "After a few seconds, the guys I was with said 'It's in the hole'. It was a great feeling - it's unbelievable." |
| The England and Wales Blind Golf Association has been holding the one-day tournament at the club for a number of years. | The England and Wales Blind Golf Association has been holding the one-day tournament at the club for a number of years. |
| The blind players are helped by a sighted caddie or guide, who lines them up for shots. | The blind players are helped by a sighted caddie or guide, who lines them up for shots. |
| Mr O'Brien, who has been unable to see since he was a child, was helped by his guide John Grindal. | Mr O'Brien, who has been unable to see since he was a child, was helped by his guide John Grindal. |
| Mr Donovan said the odds of a fully-sighted golfer hitting a hole-in-one were between 12,000 and 14,000-to-one. | Mr Donovan said the odds of a fully-sighted golfer hitting a hole-in-one were between 12,000 and 14,000-to-one. |
| "It's an amazing achievement for any amateur golfer, even more so for a blind player," he said. | "It's an amazing achievement for any amateur golfer, even more so for a blind player," he said. |
| Neil Baxter, chairman of the England and Wales Blind Golf Association, said that he knew of three totally blind members of the association who had hit holes-in-one, although others had also done it. | Neil Baxter, chairman of the England and Wales Blind Golf Association, said that he knew of three totally blind members of the association who had hit holes-in-one, although others had also done it. |
| "There was a chap in Birmingham who got one earlier this year but we're not sure whether he was totally blind," he said. | |
| "It's very, very rare and Jim is totally blind. We're all delighted about it." |