- Callum Shinkwin, Al Mouj Golf
Last month was a lucky month for Callum Shinkwin at the 2020 Oman Open. On the 18th hole in the second round Shinkwin found his ball well below his feet on his second shot. Despite the difficult play, he hit a terrible shot that yielded a great result. Check out the shot that had the crowd thinking “pinch me, did that just happen?”:
WOW! One of luckiest breaks we've ever seen! 🤯#OmanOpen pic.twitter.com/Kpgk54FbKO
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) February 28, 2020
Callum Shinkwin hacked the ball and it didn’t travel far, but just enough to hit the rocks in the penalty area, then hit the rocks again… and again. You can see Shinkwin with his hands on his hips watching the action unfold. His ball landed in the grass and might have been his luckiest break ever. Even his caddie and playing partners couldn’t help but chuckle at the unusual event.
Shinkwin continued on to double bogey the final hole which tied him for tenth place going into the weekend in Oman.
2. Sungjae Im, Club de Golf Chapultepec
There are lucky breaks, then there are bizarre phenomena. What happened to Sungjae Im last month at the WGC-Mexico was definitely a phenomenon that will go down in golf history. The 7th hole at Club de Golf Chapultepec is surrounded by trouble with two bunkers and water to the front and to the right. In the second round, the 7th hole tried to claim Sungjae Im victim, when his tee shot came up a bit short and made a splash in the water. However, a miracle occurred when the ball hit the water. It took an unexplained bounce out of the water and onto the green, just 23 feet from the hole. Don’t believe us? Check it out for yourself:
3. Jeremy Ord, Kingbarns Golf Links
You don’t have to be a pro golfer to catch a lucky break on the course. Amateur golfer Jeremy Ord experienced an outrageous stroke of luck on the 13th hole at Kingbarns Golf Links last September. Jeremy Ord hit a left tee shot that was destined to be out of bounds but had a more fortunate outcome than anyone expected:
One of the luckiest shots we've ever seen 🤯#DunhillLinks pic.twitter.com/PsoxuznUBQ
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) September 27, 2019
Jeremy Ord’s ball hit the cart path and ricocheted off a large stone wall, hit the path again, making its way back to the green. The ball continued to roll down a slope stopping just four feet short of the hole. An unforgettable play and a great golf day for Jeremy Ord.
4. Thomas Detry, Gary Player Golf Course
Belgian pro Thomas Detry was thanking his lucky… windsocks in the second round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge when he received one of the most fortuitous breaks of the year. He was fighting for the lead when he got to the 17th hole at Gary Player Golf Club. Detry’s first drive flew into a water hazard on the left side then he was forced to tee up and give it another go. However, his second drive sailed toward the same hazard before a sprinkle of luck interceded. Right before Detry’s ball would have made a splash in the water, it caught the top of a windsock flagpole at the water’s edge. The flagpole deflected his ball into the rough, saving it from the watery grave. Check it out:
One of the luckiest breaks we've ever seen 🤯
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 15, 2019
Hitting a flagpole to not go into the water! #NGC2019 #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/DJY1MW7Niy
5. Joachim Hansen, Gary Player Golf Course
Golfers dread the term “shank” (yes… we said it) and are even superstitious about using the word on the course. But European Tour pro Joachim Hansen confirmed a shank with a little bounce can actually benefit a golfer’s game. Joachim hit a hosel rocket out of a bunker during the third round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge and saved par. See this successful shank for yourself:
Bad shot, amazing outcome 🤯
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 16, 2019
The luckiest shot you'll see all season! #NGC2019 #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/kWFB5KaDxY
6. Wes Short Jr., Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club
In the final round of the Shaw Charity Classic last September, Wes Short Jr. needed a birdie to win his second Champions Tour of his career. On the par-5 18th hole at Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club Short took a risky move and went for the green in two. What made his shot particularly tricky was the water hazard lurking on the right side of the hole, guarding the pin placement. He was certain it was not going to make it to the green, but then a miracle happened:
Can’t make this stuff up …
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) September 2, 2019
Wes Short Jr.’s second shot into the par-5 18th looked like it was heading into the hazard.
Thanks to the help of a rock, the ball landed on the green and Wes went on to make birdie for the @ShawClassic win. pic.twitter.com/KAQY6KDobi
Short was fortunate and his ball did not land in the water. Instead, it ricocheted off a lakeside rock causing the ball to fly into the air and onto the green, approximately 50-feet from the hole. Short was able to finish the game strong and came out on top, claiming his first victory in almost five years.
7. Tommy Fleetwood, Gary Player Golf Course
Tommy Fleetwood also had a big break last year at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. Fleetwood hit a 355-yard drive on the 15th hole, leaving 116 yards to go. He took a swing as the ball flew to the green, conveniently bouncing off a sprinkler head and rolls back towards the hole:
Off the sprinkler! What a break!@TommyFleetwood1 is on fire #NGC2019 #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/VfyM39UZwi
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 17, 2019
Not only did Fleetwood get a lucky break, he ended up winning the 2019 Nedbank Golf Challenge after a sudden-death playoff.
Ready to test your luck? Head out to the course and don’t forget to wear green for a little bit of good fortune!
