News
Andy Sullivan rips driver-off-the-deck, nearly holes out for improbable albatross at British Masters
Andrew Redington
The driver-off-the-deck is one of the rarest, scariest shots to attempt in golf. When someone tries it you can't help but hold your breath, cover your eyes and hope for the best. For every pure Rickie Fowler strike there's a Justin Thomas shank, and for every Phil Mickelson stripe a Phil Mickelson what-the-hell-were-you-thinking shot.
No matter what happens, the driver-off-the-deck play is always worthy of our attention, especially when it's pulled off so perfectly like Andy Sullivan's attempt was on Thursday at the British Masters. Here's Sullivan at the par-5 sixth hole at Walton Heath GC ripping the big stick off the fairway and nearly holing out for an improbable albatross:
Making this shot all the more impressive is the fact that the wind appears to be howling, putting the degree of difficulty at 10 out of 10. Just advancing a driver-off-the-deck and keeping it in play is usually a success, so to almost roll it in for a two on a par 5 makes this one of the shots of the year on the European Tour, which, unlike the PGA Tour, is still in its 2017-'18 season. So we aren't jumping the gun too soon on calling this one of the best of the season. Sullivan went on to make his eagle en route to a three-under 69, which currently has him in a tie for sixth.