Robert Allenby's amazing albatross at the Australian Masters

November 29, 2008

IF Robert Allenby wins his third Australian Masters title, he will be able to look back on one of the greatest shots in the tournament's history as the turning point.

The Victorian's third round on Saturday was progressing solidly, but without any great momentum, and he was a shot off the lead when he started the par-five seventh hole.

But his second shot on that hole, a 223m three wood, rolled in for that rarest of golfing birds, an albatross, and suddenly he was atop the leaderboard.

Allenby described the shot as “perfect” and no one who witnessed it would disagree.

“It was about as pure as it looked,” he said.

“The wind was just off the right, I knew I didn't have to smash it, I knew I just needed to hit it solid.

“I was just going straight at (the hole) and it did exactly that, it went straight at it, it landed perfect.

“The funny thing is you never get those opportunities to land a three wood soft at Huntingdale but today was one of those days, so that was fortunate.

“Normally if it lands there it would go off the back, but it was pretty much perfect.”

With the green slightly above where Allenby was standing on the fairway, he could not see the ball roll in, but the crowd reaction quickly told the story.

“I saw it land and I saw it track towards the flag and it just sort of disappeared and then I heard the roar and obviously it had gone in,'' he said.

He pumped his fist, then raised both arms in triumph.

Allenby said he had to alter his club selection to cater for his pumping adrenaline on the following hole.

He ended the third round equal leader with West Australian Michael Sim and said if he went on to win the event the shot would take on even greater value in his estimation.

“If I win tomorrow I can say that that shot won me this tournament,” Allenby said.