Amid strong winds at Trump International Golf Links, only 17 players were under par at the Nexo Championship after the second round.
One player who was making light of the conditions was Shaun Norris, who prepared for Moving Day on three under following a second round of 69. That left him in T2, just one behind overnight leader Matthew Southgate. However, that was just the start for the South African.
Norris made a good start on Saturday with a birdie on the opening hole, and it got considerably better for him on the par-5 fourth with a moment of magic to leap to the top of the leaderboard on seven under.
Norris’s tee shot down the fairway ate up 248 yards, leaving him another 261 yards to the pin. That would have left the prospect of a birdie or even an eagle in his sights as he prepared for his second shot.
Instead, it got even better, with Norris’s approach on the perfect line as it carried to the front of the green before finding its way into the hole for an albatross.
The player clearly knew his shot was good, as he was an interested observer throughout, but it took him a few seconds to realise his achievement before a broad grin appeared on his face and he celebrated with his caddie and playing partner Southgate.
That took him to seven under, two clear of three, and his round got even better with his second birdie at the seventh to maintain his grip at the top of the leaderboard.
Norris is looking for his third DP World Tour win in Scotland this week and his first outside his home nation, having won the 2022 Steyn City Championship and the 2024 Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek.
