U.S. Open: Patrick Reed Cards the Rarest Score in Golf — an Albatross

Patrick Reed made history with a rare albatross at the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont. Discover how one shot redefined his round and etched his name in major championship lore.

🕊️ Inroduction

In the high-stakes drama of Major Championship golf, moments of magic are rare — but what Patrick Reed pulled off at Oakmont Country Club in the 2025 U.S. Open was rarer than rare: an albatross, one of the most elusive feats in the sport.

On Thursday’s opening round, Reed defied golf’s statistical odds with a jaw-dropping 2 on the par-5 12th hole, sending a buzz through the gallery and waves across the internet. It wasn’t just a great shot — it was history in flight.

📍 A Shot Heard ‘Round Oakmont

Reed’s albatross, also known as a double eagle, came on one of Oakmont’s most notorious par-5s. After a well-placed drive, Reed faced 248 yards to the pin. Choosing a 3-wood, he delivered what can only be described as surgical precision, landing the ball short and watching it roll straight into the cup.

As reported by ESPN, Reed could hardly believe it himself. “I thought I hit it well, but when the crowd erupted and I saw the ball had disappeared, I knew something crazy had happened.”

Sky Sports captured Reed’s reaction: eyes wide, hands raised, and a grin that said it all — even for a player known for stoic intensity.

🧠 Just How Rare Is an Albatross?

Statistically, the odds of an albatross in professional golf are estimated at 6 million to 1, making them even more scarce than a hole-in-one. According to CNN, Reed’s shot marked only the fifth albatross in U.S. Open history — and the first at Oakmont.

Golf Digest notes that the last U.S. Open albatross came from Louis Oosthuizen at Chambers Bay in 2015. Ten years later, Reed has now joined one of the most exclusive clubs in major championship lore.

💬 Reaction from the Golf World

As the footage circulated, players, fans, and broadcasters alike were stunned. NBC Sports dubbed it the “highlight of the day,” and rightfully so. Even for a U.S. Open Thursday, typically filled with grinding pars and nail-biting bogeys, Reed’s eagle-plus-two lit up the leaderboard.

Social media exploded, and commentators described it as “the moment Oakmont woke up.”

🏆 Reed’s Round and Tournament Outlook

Despite the highlight, Reed’s opening round had its ups and downs. He finished the day at 1-under-par, just inside the top 30 — but with momentum and confidence fully restored. As Yahoo Sports pointed out, “If Reed makes a run this weekend, the albatross might become his turning point.”

And with Oakmont’s brutal layout, every shot — especially one that gains three strokes on a single hole — becomes monumentally important.

🔗 Why This Matters

In a game of inches and mental warfare, albatrosses are rare flashes of brilliance that fans never forget. Reed, once dubbed “Captain America” for his Ryder Cup fire, has added another chapter to his complicated, yet undeniably compelling legacy.

As Fox Sports summed it up: “You don’t script an albatross — you just witness one.”

📘 Conclusion

With one historic swing, Patrick Reed soared above the field — not just in score, but in lore. The 2025 U.S. Open has only just begun, but golf fans already have their moment of the week. And unless someone miraculously duplicates the feat, Reed’s albatross will remain the shot of the championship — a breathtaking reminder that golf’s magic is real, rare, and sometimes airborne.