How Many Albatrosses Have Been Made on the PGA Tour?

The albatross is a rare and coveted feat in golf. It’s achieved when a player scores three under par on a single hole, or a double eagle. While albatrosses are often thought of as impossible, they’ve actually been recorded on the PGA Tour more than 100 times. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the history of albatrosses on the PGA Tour, explore the factors that contribute to making them so difficult to achieve, and highlight some of the most memorable albatrosses in tour history.

Year Player Course
1960 Jack Nicklaus Pebble Beach Golf Links
1973 Johnny Miller TPC Sawgrass
1994 Greg Norman TPC Sawgrass
1996 John Daly TPC Sawgrass
2001 David Duval TPC Sawgrass
2004 Adam Scott Pebble Beach Golf Links
2008 Tiger Woods TPC Sawgrass
2012 Henrik Stenson TPC Sawgrass

An albatross is a rare type of golf shot that results in a score of three under par on a hole. It is the rarest scoring event in golf, with only about 1,000 albatrosses recorded on the PGA Tour since 1980.

Albatrosses are often referred to as “double eagles” because they are two strokes better than an eagle, which is a score of two under par. Albatrosses are so rare that they are often met with celebration from both the player and the gallery.

In this article, we will take a closer look at albatrosses, including how they are scored, how often they occur, and some of the most famous albatrosses in history.

Definition of an Albatross

An albatross is a golf shot that results in a score of three under par on a hole. This means that the player must hit the ball two strokes under par on the tee shot, and then one stroke under par on the approach shot.

Albatrosses are often referred to as “double eagles” because they are two strokes better than an eagle, which is a score of two under par. Albatrosses are so rare that they are often met with celebration from both the player and the gallery.

How Often Do Albatrosses Occur?

Albatrosses are extremely rare. On the PGA Tour, only about 1,000 albatrosses have been recorded since 1980. This means that an albatross occurs on average about once every 1,000 rounds of golf.

Albatrosses are even rarer on other tours. For example, only 10 albatrosses have been recorded on the European Tour since 1980. This means that an albatross occurs on average about once every 100,000 rounds of golf on the European Tour.

Most Famous Albatrosses in History

There have been many famous albatrosses in history. Some of the most notable include:

  • Jack Nicklaus’ albatross at the 1966 Masters: Nicklaus hit an albatross on the par-5 15th hole at Augusta National during the final round of the 1966 Masters. This shot helped Nicklaus to win his second Masters title.
  • Tiger Woods’ albatross at the 2005 British Open: Woods hit an albatross on the par-5 6th hole at St. Andrews during the second round of the 2005 British Open. This shot helped Woods to win his third British Open title.
  • Rory McIlroy’s albatross at the 2015 PGA Championship: McIlroy hit an albatross on the par-5 16th hole at Whistling Straits during the final round of the 2015 PGA Championship. This shot helped McIlroy to win his second PGA Championship title.

These are just a few of the many famous albatrosses in history. These shots are often considered to be some of the greatest shots in golf history.

Albatrosses are the rarest scoring event in golf. They are often met with celebration from both the player and the gallery. There have been many famous albatrosses in history, including Jack Nicklaus’ albatross at the 1966 Masters, Tiger Woods’ albatross at the 2005 British Open, and Rory McIlroy’s albatross at the 2015 PGA Championship.

3. History of Albatrosses on the PGA Tour

The first albatross on the PGA Tour was recorded by Gene Sarazen in 1935 at the Masters Tournament. Sarazen hit a 2-iron from 235 yards to within 10 feet of the hole on the par-5 15th hole at Augusta National Golf Club. He made the putt for an albatross, or 3-under-par on a hole.

Since Sarazen’s albatross, there have been 26 more recorded on the PGA Tour. The most recent albatross was made by Jim Furyk at the 2017 Travelers Championship. Furyk hit a 3-wood from 240 yards to within 10 feet of the hole on the par-5 15th hole at TPC River Highlands. He made the putt for an albatross.

The following is a list of all albatrosses recorded on the PGA Tour:

| Year | Player | Hole | Course | Score |
|—|—|—|—|—|
| 1935 | Gene Sarazen | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1951 | Ben Hogan | 16 | Merion Golf Club | 6 |
| 1952 | Sam Snead | 16 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1957 | Arnold Palmer | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1961 | Gary Player | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1963 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1964 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1965 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1966 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1967 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1968 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1969 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1970 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1971 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1972 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1973 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1974 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1975 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1976 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1977 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1978 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1979 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1980 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1981 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1982 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1983 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1984 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1985 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1986 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1987 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1988 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1989 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1990 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National | 6 |
| 1991 | Jack Nicklaus | 15 | Augusta National |

How Many Albatrosses Have Been Made on the PGA Tour?

There have been 53 albatrosses made on the PGA Tour since 1990. The most recent was made by Cameron Smith at the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

What is the Most Albatrosses Made by a Single Player?

The most albatrosses made by a single player on the PGA Tour is four, by Bubba Watson. Watson made all four of his albatrosses on par-5 holes.

What is the Longest Albatross Made on the PGA Tour?

The longest albatross made on the PGA Tour is 297 yards, by Jim Furyk at the 2009 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Furyk hit a 3-wood from 297 yards to the green on the par-5 16th hole at Firestone Country Club.

What is the Most Recent Albatross Made on the PGA Tour?

The most recent albatross made on the PGA Tour was made by Cameron Smith at the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions. Smith hit a 3-wood from 253 yards to the green on the par-5 18th hole at Kapalua Resort.

What is the Toughest Hole to Make an Albatross on the PGA Tour?

There is no one definitive answer to this question, as different players may find different holes to be more or less difficult. However, some of the most difficult holes to make an albatross on the PGA Tour include:

  • The 16th hole at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course (par-5, 510 yards)
  • The 18th hole at the Pebble Beach Golf Links (par-5, 548 yards)
  • The 17th hole at the Augusta National Golf Club (par-5, 530 yards)

What is the Average Score for an Albatross on the PGA Tour?

The average score for an albatross on the PGA Tour is 6 under par. This means that a player must birdie the previous hole and eagle the current hole to make an albatross.

What is the Most Prize Money Won for an Albatross on the PGA Tour?

The most prize money won for an albatross on the PGA Tour is $1,440,000. This was won by Bubba Watson at the 2012 Masters Tournament. Watson made an albatross on the par-5 16th hole, which helped him to win the tournament by a stroke.

albatrosses are rare but spectacular golf shots that are often celebrated by players and fans alike. While there have only been a handful of albatrosses recorded on the PGA Tour, they are a reminder of the incredible skill and precision that these golfers possess. These shots are also a testament to the beauty and excitement of the game of golf.

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Matthew Woods
Matthew Woods
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