Louis Oosthuizen Hits Albatross At Masters For Piece Of Golf History

Louis Oosthuizen and his caddie Wynand Stander react after Oosthuizen's double eagle two on the par 5 second hole during the fourth round of the Masters golf tournament Sunday, April 8, 2012.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Even if he doesn't have a place in the champion's locker room at the Masters, Louis Oosthuizen can say he has a spot in the Albatross Club with Gene Sarazen.

Not a bad consolation prize: That shot by "The Squire" in 1935, after all, is widely credited with putting the Masters on the map.

Back then players weren't routinely hitting the ball so far, but Sarazen had the pluck to pull out a 4-wood from 235 yards and blast the ball over the creek that guards the 15th green at Augusta National. He made double-eagle, otherwise known as an albatross. It erased a three-shot deficit to Craig Wood in one swing. The two went to a playoff that Sarazen won.

On Sunday, Oosthuizen also got to the playoff on the strength of his double-eagle but he didn't make any more history.

Bubba Watson pulled off The Shot of the tournament – that twister from nowhere on the 10th hole in the playoff – and Oosthuizen walked home not with the green jacket, but with a good-looking `2' on the scorecard. It was only the fourth double-eagle in the history of the Masters and the first ever on the par-5 second at Augusta National.

Yes, this is a rarity, and not only at Augusta.

There have been only 17 double-eagles compared to 130 holes-in-1 on the PGA Tour since 2008, according to STATS LLC.

It's even more infrequent at your average muni, where the everyday player is nowhere near as skilled as the guys shooting at pins for a living.

On this crazy Sunday at Augusta National, Oosthuizen's 2 was much more notable than a pair of 1s – the holes-in-1 by Adam Scott and Bo Van Pelt that wound up as mere footnotes.

"My first double-eagle ever," Oosthuizen said.

The shot came from 253 yards out and Oousthuizen flushed a 4-iron that dropped on the front of the green, then traveled around 80 feet back and toward the right and straight into the hole.

Oosthuizen raised his hands, high-fived his caddie.

Watson, who was playing in the same group, told Oosthuizen he wanted to high-five him too, "but felt it might not have gone over too well," Oosthuizen said.

Oosthuizen's albatross now ranks No. 2 on the list of four that have come at Augusta National – ahead of Bruce Delvin's in 1967 on No. 8 and Jeff Maggert's in 1994 on No. 13, but still one notch behind Sarazen's. Had The Squire not made that shot, the historians say there's no telling where the Masters would be today.

PHOTOS: The 2012 Masters

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Comments

[canpete]

10:33 AM on 04/10/2012

stunning shot followed by two arms up in celebration, very modest for one of the all time great shots.

[Francois G]

05:41 AM on 04/10/2012

Amazing shot.

[flarrfan]

08:59 AM on 04/09/2012

Louis' double eagle was a VERY VERY good shot with a lot of luck involved...but Bubba's hook shot from out of the trees was a GREAT shot that was almost all the result of his self-taught skill. But maybe just as impressive was Louis' pressure putting for several crucial par saves. And Bubba, who's been known in the past for flubbing important putts under pressure (Doral, last month, e.g.) showed a touch on the tour's toughest greens that I didn't think he had. Great Masters again!

[ontariogirl]

07:41 AM on 04/09/2012

That was awesome. Poetry in motion.

[aceshigh11]

10:29 PM on 04/08/2012

That is amazing. That's a lot of skill, but a LOT more luck.

I was just looking to see if there's ever been a hole in one on a par 5.

There haven't been, at least during a professional golf tournament.

[AWL]

11:14 PM on 04/08/2012

In pro golf only one ace scored on a par 4, so holing out a par 5 would be impossible.

[aceshigh11]

12:01 AM on 04/09/2012

Well, it is possible and it has been done several times, but never on a PGA tour.

http://golf.about.com/od/faqs/f/par5aces.htm

Pretty wild, huh?

[robXdion]

02:30 AM on 04/09/2012

Too many doglegs on par 5s.

[soariation]

12:48 PM on 04/09/2012

If it was even possible to reach a par 5 in 2 it would not be a par 5. The par of the hole is determined by the expected number of shots it would take to reach the green + 2 putts. Therefore on a par 3 it is expected that you will reach the green in 1 shot, and make 2 putts. On a par 4 it is expected you make the green in 2 shots, and have 2 putts. And on a par 5 it is expected you make the green in 3 shots, and have 2 putts. There are some par 4's which are relatively short-290-340 yards, which can be reached in 1 shot by long hitters and that is why it is possible for hole in one's to happen on some of these holes. When it comes to par 5's the shortest you will see are about 490-510 yards, and on the pro tour usually the shortest you will see are around 530-540. For long hitters like the pros this makes it possible for them to reach these greens in 2 with lengthy tee-shots and another long hit second shot from 200+ yards. I'm sure somewhere a hole in 1 on a par 5 has happened, however it would only be possible if some weird circumstance were in place- for instance a cart path that runs parallel with the fairway of a hole all the way up to the green.