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.
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 a really good shot.”