AUGUSTA, Ga. -- At the par-3 16th hole on Sunday, Bo Van Pelt had a hole-in-one. It was the highlight of an 8-under-par round of 64, which is 1 shot off the course record of 63 set by Nick Price in 1986 and Greg Norman in 1996.
"I was just one year late," said the 36-year-old Van Pelt after his round.
A year ago, the former Oklahoma State star had come to the picturesque par-3 a shot off the lead after making eagles at 13 and 15. But he would bogey No. 16 and then the 17th to ultimately finish in a tie for eighth.
This year, his 6-iron landed behind the hole and trickled back down into the cup. Last year, he had tried to use the slope more to feed the ball toward the hole, but this year he aimed straight at the pin.
"I reminded myself to be more aggressive on my line this year," he said, "and I just hit it in the right spot."
Later in the day, Australian Adam Scott also aced No. 16.
On Friday, Van Pelt had a double-bogey on the 16th.
Van Pelt's 64 on Sunday is all the more amazing because he did it without making birdies on two of the four par 5s. He also missed three birdies within 15 feet at seven, 11 and 12.
At 13, he nearly made a double-eagle after his 5-iron second shot stopped inches from the cup. At 18, he almost made another eagle after his approach there stopped inches from the cup.
Van Pelt had a back-nine 30 on Sunday, but coming into the day he had been 4 over par for the week on that side. He bogeyed the par-5 15th hole twice this week without hitting it into the water.
"I wasn't thinking about tying Price's record after the hole-in-one at 16," Van Pelt said. "I was just trying to hit a good drive at 17, which is a tough driving hole."
Van Pelt played much better this week than his 1-under-par finish.
"I didn't putt well this week," he said. "My speed control has been off. This was the first day where my pace has been really good. The whole rhythm of my game was much better today."
Van Pelt's hole-in-one at 16 was his fifth in tournament play. It might have come too late to win this year's Masters, but it was just in time for his three small children who got to see their daddy make a hole-in-one on Easter Sunday.
Farrell Evans covers golf for ESPN and can be contacted at evans.espn@gmail.com.