Could this be the luckiest shot in British Open history?
Weekend hackers couldn’t believe their eyes when Ian Poulter bounced a ball over the water and through a bunker – on the same shot.
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.
And Poulter found that out on the 18th hole of his first round of the British Open at Carnoustie on Thursday.
The 42-year-old Englishman blasted his way through the fescue, and his ball somehow bounced over the water and rolled through the green-side pot bunker to end up just yards off the green and ultimately rescued par.
It’s one of the wildest and luckiest shots you’ll see, and it saved Poulter’s round from going completely awry.
Things certainly didn’t look good for Poulter, who was already sitting at two-over when he knocked his tee shot into the high stuff left of the fairway.
Things looked even worse after his low line drive out of the fescue headed toward the water.
Somehow the ball took a massive bounce — it’s been a dry summer in Scotland — and rolled toward the bunker.
At that point, it certainly wasn’t perfect, but Poulter would have been ecstatic that he wasn’t in the water.
In fact, he even pointed down, signalling he thought the ball was in trouble.
But the ball carried considerable speed through the pot bunker and somehow hopped out on the other side.
Poulter converted a simple up-and-down to finish up his par. Just like he drew it up.
Ian Poulter’s shot was just so absurd that I screamed out loud.#TheOpen
— Gabe Ikard (@GabeIkard) July 19, 2018
A bounce over water, a roll through a bunker … and out.
Ian Poulter hit the luckiest shot ever on Thursday.
— For The Win (@ForTheWin) July 19, 2018
You got two of the BEST breaks of the day today on the same shot!! (#18) Best of luck the rest of the way!!
— @Peter Walsh (@Peter37965747) July 19, 2018
Your shot on 18 was priceless.
— tstorm42 (@tomoyle42) July 19, 2018
Ian Poulter's shot at Carnoustie is the luckiest shot I've ever seen in a major…
— ✩ Jim Holt ✩ (@jimholt) July 19, 2018
Ian Poulter playing trick shots #TheOpen
— Jared Owen (@coachowen15) July 19, 2018