Niklas Lemke makes albatross at KLM Open: rarer than a hole-in-one
Niklas Lemke will keep a very special memory from the KLM Open 2025. The 41-year-old Swede made an albatross (three under par on a single hole) today at The International—an achievement even rarer than a hole-in-one on the DP World Tour. For his extraordinary feat, KLM rewarded him with two complimentary flight tickets.
On hole 3 (a 485-meter par 5), Lemke holed his second shot—an 8-iron from just over 165 meters. “It was one of those shots where, the moment the ball leaves the clubface, you just know it’s perfect. The ball flew straight at the flag,” he said after his round.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to make the cut. Lemke was eliminated after two rounds. “After a mediocre round yesterday, I needed a low score today. That albatross gave me some hope again, but I couldn’t capitalize on it.”
Still, it was a moment worth reflecting on. Since 1999, only three other albatrosses have been recorded at the KLM Open: Søren Hansen (2005), Thongchai Jaidee (2008), and Richard Bland (2012). This marks the third albatross on the DP World Tour this season. By comparison, there have already been 11 holes-in-one in 2025.
This wasn’t Lemke’s first career albatross on Tour. “The first was about three years ago in either Scotland or Northern Ireland—I can’t quite remember. I also made one during college in the U.S. and shortly after. So this is the fourth of my career. And thanks to the KLM flight tickets, this round still ended on a high note.”
