OXFORD – On his 17th birthday, Norwich resident Elijah Newell was treated to nine holes of golf by his mother Patti Barry, Friday morning, June 22, at Bluestone Golf Course.

Playing with his mom, Newell had an unexpected, but welcomed gift from the golf gods. In his first full year of playing the game, Newell recorded his first hole-in-one acing the 130-yard 8th hole.

With his mom as a witness, Newell used a 9-iron from the upper tees to solve the undulating green. His shot landed on the front third of the green, bounced forward, then curled left into the hole.

Newell’s ace was one of two at Bluestone notched within an hour’s time – on the same hole, no less. Greg Johnson also aced the 8th hole Friday morning. Details of Johnson’s hole-in-one will appear in a later edition of The Evening Sun.