Saso "Two Albatrosses"... 'Unbelievable Stories'

Record-Breaking Performance in DriveOn Championship Pro-Am and Round 2

An albatross is a score three strokes under par. The probability of success is one in two million. Considering that the odds of a hole-in-one, where the ball goes into the hole with a single shot, are one in 12,000 for amateur golfers and one in 3,500 for professional golfers, it is an extremely rare achievement.

Yuka Saso recorded an albatross in the second round of the Drive On Championship Pro-Am.

Yuka Saso (Japan) made headlines by recording two albatrosses over three days. On the 24th (local time), Saso recorded an albatross on the 2nd hole (par 5, 492 yards) of the second round at the Drive On Championship, an LPGA Tour event held at Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club (par 72, 6,526 yards) in Gold Canyon, Arizona, USA, with a total prize money of $1.75 million.

Saso’s second shot, played with a 19-degree hybrid club from 217 yards out, was swallowed by the hole. It was the first albatross of the LPGA Tour season and the 73rd in total. The last albatross on the LPGA Tour was recorded by Lindsey Weaver Wright (USA) at the 2020 ShopRite Classic, nearly three years ago.

Two days before the start of this tournament, Saso also recorded an unofficial albatross in a pro-am event. Saso said, “I didn’t know where the ball was, and as I was walking to the green, the gallery was clapping and cheering.” She added, “My playing partner Se-young Kim told me ‘the ball went in,’ and that’s when I realized it was an albatross.” She continued, “I was lucky,” and expressed joy, saying, “I think it’s a great fortune to have recorded an albatross in my golf career.”