'Shot of the year': American golfer goes topless and sinks impossible eagle from the water

American golfer Kevin Dougherty wowed the crowds at the Savannah Gold Championship by removing his shirt to play a seemingly impossible shot from the water - then holed it!

The 27-year-old's tee shot landed on the water's edge on the par-4 fifth hole at The Landings Club's Deer Creek Course in Savannah, Georgia on Sunday.

After inspecting the lie, Dougherty decided the ball was playable, but knew that his swing was likely to be a wet - and messy - one.

© AFP / Matt Sullivan

So, to preserve his shirt, he took it off and decided to play the shot topless.

He lined up his shot, took his swing and connected perfectly, sending water, mud and grass flying through the air as he sent the ball towards the green.

And, incredibly, the ball made it onto the green and dropped into the hole for an incredible, improbable, eagle.

Understandably, Dougherty was ecstatic, and celebrated with a chest-bump with his caddy and a couple of high-fives with his playing partners as the crowd cheered and applauded the remarkable shot.

One fan hailed the shot as the "shot of the year" on social media, while another likened it to a shot you'd expect to see from Adam Sandler's movie character Happy Gilmore.

And one golf fan on Twitter suggested Dougherty's shirtless good luck should have prompted him to play the rest of the round topless to continue his good fortune.

It might not have been a hole-in-one, but there's a good chance Dougherty will have paid for a few drinks in the clubhouse after his incredible shot.