The notorious 17th hole at St Andrews proved less challenging in the early stages of the Open Championship's second round.
After 156 players failed to make birdie at the 17th on day one, two of the first six to play it on Friday achieved the feat.
The honour of being the first man to make a competitive three at the Road hole this week went to Jaco van Zyl, having bogeyed it the previous day.
"I didn't think too many people were going to birdie it yesterday as a three-shot par four," said the South African, who finished with a round of 69 to leave him four over.
"Yesterday I hit driver, had 277 yards to the flag and I laid up with a three-wood, then hit sand wedge and then lob wedge and made a great 'par' five.
"Today it was a good drive and from 195 yards I hit a stinging three-iron to about 20 feet and rolled it in.
"It is a great hole. It starts with a tough tee shot and there is just no room for error with the second shot: you can bail out short right but it doesn't give you a four.
"Miss it right you're on the road, miss it left and you're in the bunker.
"It takes two quality shots and even if you are on the green it still doesn't guarantee you walking off with four."
Less than 20 minutes later compatriot Thomas Aiken also made three on the 495-yard hole, which had a stroke average of 4.833 on the first day.
"I hit a pretty good drive down the second fairway because I didn't fancy getting over the shed and I hit an unbelievable two-iron to about 10 feet and made it," he said.
"Yesterday I hit an unbelievable drive and had 276 yards to the flag tucked three yards over a bunker, which happens to be the deepest bunker in the world.
"It was kind of tough. I hit two great shots to hit it about 20 yards short of the green and had no real shot from there and just putted it 15ft and unfortunately didn't make that - but made a good 'par' 5."
Source: PA
