Matt McKeown will never be forgotten by those lucky enough to have played with him.

Depending on where you do your research, it is said that the odds of making a hole-in-one on a typical par-3 are about 45,000 to one. Those odds drop considerably when the player hitting the shot is a professional, who has got about a one in 3,700 chance of making an ace.

In my 30 years as a golfer I have made just one hole-in-one. Lightning struck on a cool June afternoon on the 15th hole at Goulburn Golf Club. It wasn’t a particularly well-struck 7-iron but I was glad to see it heading for the heart of the green having double-bogied the previous hole. Due to the undulations in the green I didn’t see it hit and spin slightly right and trickle into the cup, instead I had to rely on the group in front for a full description of the glorious moment. That was 13 years ago.

I have, however, witnessed two holes-in-one. The first was that wonderful shot by Nathan Green during the 2001 Australian Masters at Huntingdale. I was standing beside the tee when Green launched his tee shot on the par-3 12th and it had the flag covered all the way. When it dropped in the hole he collected $500,000 for the feat and it went a long way to financing his future years on the Tour.

With due respect to Greeny and that great shot, his ace might have offered a greater financial windfall but the second hole-in-one I was in the presence of was far more impressive.

It was only a handful of years ago when good mate and golf media colleague Matt McKeown organised a small golf outing at his home club, Concord in Sydney. Three groups of mates headed out that afternoon for a major skins game and through 13 holes every skin had been squared.

Matty had not looked like winning a skin all day. In fact, he hardly contested a hole. That was until we reached the short downhill 14th. Taking note of the slight tailwind, Matty grabbed his 9-iron and set himself to swing. With his usual slight lateral movement off the ball, he swung back and through, catching the ball thin but with a square clubface. The ball flew no higher than six, maybe seven, feet off the ground, bounced once and disappeared into the hole like a rat up a drain pipe. “Oh…what about that … giddy up big fella,” he cried out.

So much for 45,000 to 1. That shot was a million to one shot, but that was typical Matty. Right place, right time. He cleaned us out with the skins and proceeded to put most of the earnings from his career shot on the bar.

I mention this in honour of a great bloke ... a loyal mate who will be dearly missed.

While finalising the pages of this issue for the printer I learned of the sudden and tragic death of Matt McKeown, aged 43. He was at home in Kuala Lumpur, where he had been living with his young family for the past year, when he suffered a massive heart attack and could not be revived.

The sun may have set on his young life but Matty will never be forgotten by those lucky enough to have worked and played alongside him.