Holy Cross teammates accomplish rare feat: two albatrosses
Owen Egan and Christian Emmerich of Holy Cross (Credit: HC Golf)
Imagine making an albatross only to have your playing partner make one on the same hole?
Christian Emmerich and
Owen Egan did just that during a practice round at Blackstone National in Sutton, Mass. Emmerich is a senior at The College of The Holy Cross. Egan is a sophomore.
The odds of making an albatross are somewhat disputed, but any way you slice it, this is an incredibly rare feat.
The Double Eagle Club is "the worldwide registry for double eagles scored," and states that the odds of an albatross are an estimated 6-million-to-1. However, Dean Knuth, who was senior director of the handicap department at the USGA from 1981 to 1997 says they're lower than that but still great, about a million-to-one shot.
Either set of odds is staggering, and they become more incredible when compared to the National Hole-in-One Registry that says the odds of an average golfer making a hole-in-one is 12,500-to-1.
The odds of getting struck by lightning? About 16,500-to-1.
Emmerich is fresh off a second trip to the U.S. Amateur at Ridgewood. He is from Swampscott, Mass. He broke the course record at Alpine CC this summer in the
New England Amateur of the
New England Amateur.
Egan is from Winchester, Mass. and finished just behind Emmerich in the New England Amateur in fifth place. He is also the youngest club champion in Winchester CC's history.
The 8th hole at Blackstone National is a 494 yard par 5 dogleg right from the tips; both Emmerich and Egan took the aggressive line off the tee.
"I'm pretty sure mine clipped a tree," Emmerich wrote in a DM. "I went first and made it from 180 yards with an 8-iron. We all went crazy, including our coach and the third member of our group, Matt Williams."
Egan hit his drive well past Emmerich.
"Then Owen hit gap wedge and 120 yards. His drive probably landed on a sprinkler head or trampoline. We thought his died on the edge."
It didn't though. It trickled into the hole.
"We saw it disappear and I threw my bag in the air and we all ran around high-fiving and going insane."
Holy Cross men's coach Steve Napoli was there to witness it all. It showed him something about his team.
"As amazing as it was to watch Christian and Owen make double eagles on successive shots at Blackstone National, their reaction to each other that included high fives, chest bumps and hugs was wonderful to witness," Napoli wrote in an email to Amateurgolf.com. "Both Christian and Owen are talented players who are great teammates, their leadership will be invaluable throughout the year."