‘Magical moment’: Sir John Key on his hole-in-one during golf charity match

Former New Zealand prime minister Sir John Key spent last night drinking a bottle of his nicest wine and eating some pizza after a momentous day in which he made his first-ever golf hole-in-one.

Key told the Herald it was a completely unexpected and a magical moment with friends, family, and some of New Zealand’s biggest names.

“I saw it hit the green and heard everyone make quite a bit of noise but I didn’t even consider it would go in the hole so I just leant over to pick up my tee out of the ground,” he said.

Key said the crowd then erupted and he thought “wow they are making a lot of noise for me hitting the green” before realising the ball had gone in.

He was mobbed with hugs, high-fives and handshakes moments after pulling off the rare feat, before walking through a guard of honour set up by fellow players on the green, leading towards the hole.

“Part of me was thinking, boy I hope it’s really in the hole,” Key said.

Sir John Key walked through a guard of honour set up for him after making his first-ever ace. Photo / Brett Phibbs, www.photosport.nz

Son Max Key had ranked the moment right up there with winning elections but the former PM said it was definitely a close second.

“Every golfer dreams of getting a hole-in-one and I’d been close on a number of occasions, so I got to the point where I thought I’d probably never get one,” he said.

Key had been taking part in a team event at the Chasing the Fox Super Six golf day at Royal Auckland and Grange Golf Club on Friday which a number of New Zealand’s best athletes attended.

“It’s a beautiful course and I’ve been a member there for a very long time so it’s a very special place to have it and even better to be surrounded by my son and New Zealand’s best athletes,” Key said.

All Blacks Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett and McKenzie formed the rugby team, while Black Caps Lockie Ferguson, Ross Taylor and Mitch Santner represented cricket.

The Olympics team featured Eric Murray, Simon Child and Tom Abercrombie, while the Warriors team included Shaun Johnson, Freddy Lusick and Wayde Egan.

Key, his son Max and Seymour made up the politics team, while Justin Marshall, Mark Richardson and Leon MacDonald formed the legends team.

The brand new ball that Key used for the hole-in-one was a special-edition Srixon 38′ which he had never hit before and had been gifted to commemorate him as the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Key had taken a number of the balls to the charity match to give out to children and had just given away the ball he used on the previous hole.

“It’s going to look quite good on the trophy because it’s brand new and quite sparkly,” he said.

Sir John Key with his special-edition brand-new "Srixon 38" ball, gifted to him as the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand. Photo / Brett Phibbs, www.photosport.nz

The golf day was a charity event set up by the Make-A-Wish Foundation for a young child name Levi, who originally wanted to go to Augusta to watch the infamous Masters tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, US.

“He was practically unable to get there but Ryan Fox is his favourite golfer so Make-A-Wish organised the event... he is an amazing kid,” Key said.

Key said the world No 29 golfer Fox is a beautiful golfer who has had a fantastic year and now deserves a good holiday, catching fish.

“It was a great thing for him to come out and support the Make-A-Wish foundation... he is an amazing man,” Key said.

Key says he has watched the video back a number of times and received texts from all around the world congratulating him on the feat.

He had famously previously played alongside former US president Barack Obama in Hawaii and Northland.