Francesco Molinari makes cut with stunning ace

Francesco Molinari has achieved some remarkable things in the game of golf but he revealed the sport still had the power to surprise him after he made a hole-in-one to make the cut on the number at the U.S. Open.

The Italian is a Major champion, a Rolex Series winner, a former European number one and a man who has won five points out of five at a Ryder Cup.

But he was seven over par and just coming off a bogey as he stood on the ninth tee - his final hole of round two - at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club.

He then holed his seven-iron tee-shot in barely believable fashion to secure his place in the field for the weekend.

"It's hard to believe that something like this can happen," he said. "I've been around for a while now and I thought I'd seen everything on the golf course but this sport manages to surprise you all the time.

"There weren't many positive thoughts to be honest. I'd just bogeyed eight.

"I was playing the last few holes thinking that nine was probably the last realistic chance at a birdie with a good shot off the tee. Then I dropped a shot at eight and there was only one option left but the chances weren't very high.

"I think from where we were standing it looked like it just carried the bunker, plus the greens are getting firm, so it was the ideal shot.

“Then it started tracking, was going to break left to right at the hole, and we were joking with Serg (Sergio Garcia) and how it looked on a great line the whole way, but what are the chances really?

"I don’t even know what to say. Just incredible."

Molinari's ace was not the only one on the ninth achieved with a seven iron, with Austria's Sepp Straka having made a hole-in-one earlier in the day.

"Perfect number for me," he said. "Tried to land at 185 (yards), it was a really good swing. Middle of the face, went right at it. Fortunately rolled out and went in the hole.

"I had one of my best friends playing with me today, J.T. (Poston). He was there for my ace at Augusta during the par three as well. Our celebration this time was a little bit better."