Patrick Reed has bizarre take on his amazing US Open shot: ‘Doesn't mean jack'
Patrick Reed hit the rarest shot in golf on a big-time stage — but he wasn't impressed.
The former Masters champ hit the albatross on the 622-yard, par-5 fourth hole at the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club Thursday, knocking his second shot from 286 yards into the hole with a 3-wood.
The ridiculous shot was just the fourth albatross in the U.S. Open since the tournament began keeping records 42 years ago, but Reed played it cool afterwards nonetheless.
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'There's 71 other holes we have to play,' Reed said after his round. 'One hole doesn't mean jack, to be honest with you.'
When a reporter replied, 'To our readers, it actually means a little…' Reed cut them off, saying: 'It was a 3-wood I hit from 287, and it went in.'
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Patrick Reed playing a shot during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Despite his historic shot, Reed may have been irked after going on to shoot a 3-over 73 in the opening round, including a triple bogey on the 18th.
The Athletic's Gabby Herzig did note that Reed 'got a lot happier' over the rest of what was an eight-minute post-round interview.
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When the albatross dropped in, Reed raised his arms in bewilderment before making a pointing motion to ask if the ball had gone in, since the golfer didn't have a view of the green from where he shot.
Once he realized what had happened, he gave an incredulous smile as if to say: 'I'll take it.'
Patrick Reed said his albatross at the U.S. Open Thursday 'doesn't men jack.'
Reed, 34, joins T.C. Chen (1985 at Oakland Hills), Shaun Micheel (2010 at Pebble Beach) and Nick Watney (2012 at Olympic) as the only golfers to hit a recorded albatross at the U.S. Open.
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There are only a few hundred albatrosses per year globally, compared to more than 30,000 holes-in-one each year.
After his round, Reed noted that this was the third albatross of his career.
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