Hole-in-ones are becoming second nature for Phil Whisenhunt.

The longtime golfer sank his seventh hole-in-one Saturday during the Highway 55 Cup. Whisenhunt used a 9-iron to sink his tee shot on the par-3, No. 11 at Willowbrook Golf Course. It was the highlight shot on a day where 40 golfers competed in the border battle, even if he didn’t know it at the time.

“I thought I had knocked it off the back of the green,” said Whisenhunt. “Only when I walked up there did I know.”

Whisenhunt’s latest hole-in-one came 12 years since his last ace. Before the lengthy drought, Whisenhunt had two hole-in-ones in the span of three days while using the same club.

“I won a car with one in Murfreesboro on No. 17, then came back to McMinnville on Saturday morning and hit on No. 17,” said Whisenhunt. “I used the same club and it was on back-to-back swings with it.”

Many of his spectacular shots have come at his home course. Whisenhunt is a member of McMinnville Country Club and has conquered all the courses Par-3s except for one.

“I haven’t hit one on No. 2. The rest I’ve made,” said Whisenhunt.

Saturday’s came in a clutch setting. Playing with Johnny Murray, Whisenhunt was able to give his team an edge in the match-play Cup with his ace on No. 11. He knew he had hit a good shot off the tee, but history has taught him never to assume anything until you see the final result.

“Johnny told me to not go up there until our playing partners were there. We all saw it then,” said Whisenhunt.

Whisenhunt sharpens his game by playing 4-5 times a week, including in many of the local scrambles. Now retired after years working in the banking industry, Whisenhunt has the luxury to get in rounds whenever he pleases.

It may only be a matter of time until he adds an ace on No. 2.