KLM Open winner Joost Luiten was flying first class after sensationally holing out for an albatross to join defending champion Louis Oosthuizen and England’s Tommy Fleetwood in a share of the lead on day two of the Volvo Champions in Durban.
Luiten holed a 248-yard 7-iron shot at the par five 10th hole in a round of a five under par 67 to finish the day tied atop of the board with Oosthuizen (69) and Fleetwood (67) on seven under par in continuing very windy conditions on the Durban Country Club course.
Luiten, who qualified for the elite 36-player field in capturing the KLM Open in his homeland, was three under par at the time and immediately went into a share of the lead on six under before managing to birdie the last and end at seven under par in the $US 4m event.
KLM Open winner Joost Luiten flying first class after an albatross on day two of Volvo Champions.
“The ball just pitched exactly where I wanted it to, in front of the green and rolled right up to the flag and disappeared in the hole,” he said.
“So, yeah, it was a good feeling.
“I’ve never had an albatross before and now at seven under par, I am in a great position for the weekend.”
It is the first albatross since the 2014 European ‘wraparound’ Tour commenced on November 21st while there was just one recorded in the proceeding 2013 season.
On Tuesday, Luiten celebrated his 28th birthday and while he now seeks a third Tour success, the Bleiswijk-born golfer is already looking ahead to September and hopefully celebrating a first ever European Ryder Cup showing.
“The first goal is to try and win again, and if you win again, there’s a Ryder Cup coming up,” he said.
“So my objective this year is just trying to play as well as you can and try get as many Ryder Cup points as I can, and then hopefully that’s good enough to play in the Ryder Cup.”
Oosthuizen is looking to successfully defend a European Tour title for a second time in his career, and also on home soil, after winning the 2011 Africa Open and then retaining the trophy a year later.
“I’m delighted with my position and luckily it’s the type of golf course where you can get away with it by not hitting a lot of drivers or 3-woods,” said the 2010 British Open winner.
“So, I just need to keep it together for the weekend.”
Fleetwod, 22 earned his place in the field in capturing last September’s Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in Scotland and now buoyed in targeting a second Tour victory title in qualifying also to compete in last year’s season-ending Final Series.
“After winning the Johnnie Walker I played in all four Final Series tournaments and I got drawn with Rory McIlroy and (Sergio) Garcia, all in those big events,” he said.
“Playing in those events was a massive learning experience being surrounded by the best players and you can’t buy it and you have to win to get it almost,” he said.
“It’s made me a better golfer by an absolute mile just by winning.”
Frenchman Victor Dubuisson, and winner of the Turkish Airlines Open where World No. 1 Tiger Woods finished joint third, shot a 69 to be in fourth place on six under par.
First round leader Raphael Jacquelin of France remains in contention despite a 73 to slip to a share of sixth place with former British Open winner Darren Clarke (71) on four under par.
