By Mark Lamport-Stokes
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 8 (Reuters) – South African Louis
Oosthuizen grabbed the Masters lead in sensational fashion on
Sunday, holing out from the fairway at the par-five second for a
rare albatross two in the final round.
The former British Open champion watched as his ball pitched
just short of the green before bouncing and then rolling some 50
yards up the hill before dropping into the cup.
Oosthuizen, a runaway winner of the 2010 British Open,
thrust both arms skywards before high-fiving his caddie, having
recorded the first albatross, or double-eagle, at the second
hole and only the fourth ever at the Masters.
That put the South African on 10 under par at a sun-splashed
Augusta National, two ahead of overnight leader Peter Hanson and
three-times champion Phil Mickelson.
Swede Hanson, a stroke in front overnight in pursuit of his
first major title, had bogeyed the par-four first after missing
the green to the right with his approach.
Left-hander Mickelson, playing in the final group with
Hanson, parred the opening hole to remain at eight under.
Gene Sarazen famously recorded an albatross at the 15th hole
in the fourth round of the 1935 Masters. Australian Bruce Devlin
followed suit at the eighth in the first round in 1967 and Jeff
Maggert did so at the 13th in the fourth round in 1994.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes)
