Patrick Reed makes US Open history with an incredible feat at Oakmont

Patrick Reed made history with the first albatross in a US Open at Oakmont

A double eagle (or albatross) is a rare occurrence even at the highest level in golf. At the US Open, it’s even more scarce. And at Oakmont, it was unheard of… until now.

It’s been thirteen years since we saw an albatross at the US Open, but major champion Patrick Reed ended that drought during the first round of the 2025 tournament at Oakmont.

Reed, who is playing alongside Jason Day and Corey Conners in the opening two rounds of the 125th edition of the tournament, hit a fairway wood from 286 yards on the par‑5 4th hole on Thursday. The blind second shot landed some 30 feet short of the pin and rolled up into the cup, setting off a roar from the gallery. But the LIV star didn’t see the ball drop and was unsure whether the roars meant he’d hit one close or achieved the seemingly unthinkable and had to wait for confirmation that he had indeed just knocked three shots from his score with one exceptional swipe. The American’s double eagle was just the fourth in US Open history – and the first ever at Oakmont. It moved him from +1 to −2, providing a crucial momentum swing early in his round, but his streak didn’t last and he finished up on +3 heading in to day two .

You can watch Reed’s incredible shot below.

The first albatross in a US Open came back in 1985 at Oakland Hills when T.C. Chen made history by holing out a 3‑wood from 256 yards on the par‑5 2nd hole during the first round. He carded a 65 and tying the course record. He led for the first three rounds but collapsed on the final day after a notorious double-hit chip that led to a quadruple bogey, ultimately finishing tied for 2nd place, just one stroke behind champion Andy North.

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It was another 25 years before we saw another player add their name to the list. In 2010 at Pebble Beach, Shaun Micheel’s 4‑iron from 239 yards found the bottom of the cup on the par‑5 6th hole in the final round. He shot a 72 that day and wrapped up the tournament tied for 22nd place, marking both his and the tournament’s second-ever albatross.

There was a far shorter wait for the next. In 2012 at Olympic Club, Nick Watney achieved it with a 5‑iron from just over 190 yards on the par‑5 17th during the first round, carding a 69 that day. He ultimately finished tied for 21st.

Best shots at the 2025 US Open

Reed’s was the best of the bunch but there were plenty of impressive shots on the first day at the 2025 US Open. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Shane Lowry

Shane Lowry also made Oakmont history, with the first eagle ever recorded on the third hole in a US Open tournament. Lowry holed out from around 160 yards on the fairway for an eagle on the par‑4. Despite this spectacular shot, he bogeyed the next hole and went on to finish the day at a disappointing nine-over par.

Brooks Koepka

Another eagle early on in the round, this time for LIV golfer Brooks Koepka on the par-5 4th hole. The impressive putt took him from level par to 2-under through four holes.

Maxwell Molodovan

The blinding morning sun didn’t hamper Maxwell Molodovan as he headed down the first hole. Molodovan teed off in the third group of the day alongside amateur Evan Beck and Justin Hicks, and promptly made a stunning start to his round at Oakmont, holing out for eagle. He went on to drop two shots on the second and third holes, and ended his opening round with a 6-over par 76.

Evan Beck (Amateur)

34-year old Evan Beck showed the crowd how it’s done from the tough Oakmont rough with this chip in on the 16th hole. Beck is one of just 14 amateurs competing this week, having earned his spot by winning the 2024 US Mid-Amateur title.

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Noah Kent (Amateur)

20-year old amateur Noah Kent, who was defeated by LIV’s newest recruit Jose Luis Ballester in the 2024 US Amateur at Hazeltine, made an astonishing putt on the par-4 ninth hole in his opening round. His third shot finished up on the very front right edge of the green, and he made the monster 95ft putt needed to save par. Only Patrick Fishburn has made a longer putt than Kent this year, holing out from 105ft 8inches at the Valero Texas Open.

Worst shots at the 2025 US Open

At a brutal course like Oakmont, not all of the shots can be as good. Here’s some of the worst we’ve seen today… ouch.

Justin Thomas

It’s no secret that the rough at Oakmont is incredibly punishing, and this is the perfect example. Justin Thomas prepared to hit his third shot into the par-4 5th hole from the long rough in front of the green. With the wispy grass not helping his backswing, he looked on as his ball rolled through the back of the green and sank into equally more punishing rough.

Patrick Reed

He might have had an incredible start to his round, but the rough got the better of Patrick Reed on the par-4 9th hole. His third shot went all of a few feet, and didn’t make the green.

Rory McIlroy

There’s a theme emerging here… the rough. McIlroy’s tee shot on the par-5 4th hole ended up far right of the fairway in deep, wispy grass. Unable to get a clean shot, his second landed him in even more rough, just yards ahead, but he did go on to make a bogey.