Oakmont, PA, witnessed an extraordinary moment at the U.S. Open as Patrick Reed achieved one of golf's rarest feats: an albatross. During the first round on Thursday, Reed stunned the crowd at Oakmont Country Club with a remarkable shot on the par-5 fourth hole.
Reed, standing 286 yards from the pin after a strong drive, faced a challenging approach to the fourth green, situated next to the infamous "Church Pews" bunkers. With a swing that he himself seemed to doubt, he sent his second shot soaring towards the green. The ball landed, took a few bounces, and then incredibly rolled straight into the hole. The crowd erupted as Reed's ball disappeared into the cup.
The rarity of an albatross, also known as a double eagle, cannot be overstated. It occurs when a player scores three under par on a single hole, typically on a par-5 when the player holes their second shot. To put it in perspective, there have been far more holes-in-one recorded than albatrosses. Reed's feat marks only the fourth recorded albatross in U.S. Open history. The previous instances were by T.C. Chen in 1985 at Oakland Hills, Shaun Micheel in 2010 at Pebble Beach, and Nick Watney in 2012 at the Olympic Club.
Reed's reaction was one of disbelief and pure joy. Initially, he seemed unsure if the ball had actually gone in, as the approach to the fourth green is somewhat blind due to the downhill nature of the hole. However, the roar of the crowd confirmed the incredible shot. Cameras captured Reed smiling broadly, pointing towards the green and holding up two fingers, seemingly asking for confirmation of what had just occurred.
The albatross propelled Reed up the leaderboard. Starting the hole at one-over-par for the tournament after a bogey on the second, the albatross immediately moved him to two-under-par, tying him for fourth place at the time, just two strokes behind the clubhouse leader, J.J. Spaun. This remarkable shot provided a significant boost to Reed's momentum early in the tournament.
This moment is especially significant considering Reed's history at the U.S. Open. In his ten prior appearances, his best finish was a solo fourth place in 2018. This albatross not only provided a spectacular highlight but also positioned him well for a strong showing at Oakmont.
The incredible shot was not the only noteworthy moment of the morning at Oakmont. Earlier in the day, Shane Lowry carded the first eagle of the U.S. Open on the third hole.
