ACES are high in the Mason household at Malton. Marcus and Edith Mason both shot holes-in-one within a day of each other.

While Marcus scored his at the Parque Da Floresta Golf Club, Western Algarve, Portugal, his wife Edith fired home her ace at their home course at Malton and Norton Golf Club.

Edith said: "It was amazing to get two in two days when you think it might never happen in a lifetime."

Sixteen-handicapper Marcus, a former Malton and Norton captain and treasurer, was on a golfing holiday in Portugal playing in a friendly two-ball when he recorded the third ace of his career.

He used a pitching wedge to get the ball from tee to hole on a par three 110-yard hole using a pitching wedge at the Parque da Floresta Golf Club in the Algarve.

The 65-year-old said: "It was a fluke. You don't need to be a good player to get a hole-in-one."

His previous holes-in-one were at the 13th at Malton and Norton.

Not to be outdone, Edith, who plays off 38, holed her tee-shot with a driver at the par three 135-yard 20th at Malton and Norton during a friendly match.

"I couldn't believe it. I thought I was dreaming," said Edith, 59, who only took up golf three years ago.

Malton and Norton's Simon Dyson made a disappointing start to the ANZ Championship in Sydney today.

He picked up just four points in the modified stableford competition in the first round - 16 behind leader Jonathan Lomas, who fired a nine-under par 64.

Lomas said: "I did not change the way I normally play. I was not defending as much." His nearest challenger was France's Raphael Jacquelin who was five points adrift.

Updated: 12:07 Thursday, February 07, 2002