Major Winner Makes LPGA Tour's First Albatross In Three Years
Playing in the LPGA Drive On Championship, Yuka Saso holed her second shot on the par 5 second hole
Albatrosses are a rare, rare feat, and are often described as the 'rarest birds of them all'. Many will go through their golf careers without making one, but that's not the case for Yuka Saso, who carded an albatross on the second hole during her second round at the Drive On Championship.
The former Women's US Open winner began her day on the back nine, with Saso carding four birdies and a bogey to get to three-under for her round and five-under for the tournament. A par followed at the first, her 10th hole of the day, with the special moment then taking place on the second hole.
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Hitting her drive down the middle, Saso was faced with 217-yards in for her second. Pulling out her hybrid, the 21-year-old took dead aim at the flag, with the ball landing on the green perfectly and never looking like missing as it rolled in for the elusive albatross.
Walking up to the green, it seemed that the news of the two hadn't reached Saso, as she strolled up the second. However, upon being informed, she couldn't help but smile and laugh before high-fiving her playing partners. It was also the first albatross on the LPGA Tour circuit since Lyndsey Weaver-Wright recorded one in 2020.
Following the stunning shot, Saso carded a bogey and a birdie for a three-under front nine, which puts her at eight-under-par for the tournament and in a large logjam of players.
Speaking after her round, the Major winner stated that it was her first ever albatross, adding: “We didn’t really know where it landed. so we were just walking to the green and everyone started clapping. But my ball wasn’t on the green so I was like, ‘Why are they clapping? Is it over? Why is everyone clapping if it’s not on the green?’
"Then Sei Young (Kim) was walking around also and she looked down and she said it’s in, the ball was in, so that’s how I found out... It was good. Shots were really good. Distance was good. Speed was good. So, yes, it was really good shot."
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Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.
Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.
Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?
Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°
Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°
Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°
Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
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