Andy Sullivan hits hole-in-one at KLM Open to earn trip into space

Most golfers would regard hitting a hole-in-one as out of this world; for Andy Sullivan, the phrase has literal connotations. The 216th-ranked Englishman, who has been plying his trade on the European Tour since 2011, achieved the feat in the final round of the KLM Open – and won a trip into outer space for his troubles.

The unusual prize, which Sullivan earned after wielding his nine-iron to devastating effect on the Kennemer Golf & Country Club’s three-par 15th hole, comes courtesy of the event sponsor XCOR Space Expeditions. The US spaceflight company – which, from the end of next year, will be giving space tourists the chance to travel beyond the Earth’s atmosphere on board its Lynx mark I and II spaceships – established the incentive in order to raise the profile of its business.

“With this prize we wish to create awareness among the public that space is now also accessible for everyone,” said Michiel Mol, the CEO of XCOR Space Expeditions, when the award was announced in the prelude to the tournament. ”Journeys into space can be made starting from the end of 2015. We already have 300 bookings.”

The prize, worth about $100,000 (£61,483), represents a not inconsiderable addition to the career accolades of a player whose biggest individual European Tour purse to date is €166,600 (£132,746).

Yet, despite the presence of a large-scale model of the spaceship next to the 15th green, travel arrangements were doubtless the last thing on Sullivan’s mind as he approached the tee. After a promising start to the day that included birdies at the second, third and seventh holes, the Englishman’s challenge had begun to falter, Sullivan following a bogey at the eighth with a double at the ninth.

His ace moved him within a shot of Paul Casey, the leader, going into the back nine. But a round of 67 was not enough to overhaul his fellow Englishman, Casey claiming victory with a final-round 66 after he had matched the course record of 62 on Saturday.

Casey, who became a father at the beginning of the month, promptly declared himself over the moon; Sullivan, who finished third behind another compatriot, Simon Dyson, will have known how he felt.