After the blow with the crocodile, professionals

Billy Horschel is a long-time PGA Tour veteran. He is also a lifelong Florida resident. Both identities played a role when Horschel ran in with the crocodile on Thursday on Cognizant Classic.

It has been a long history of more than 20 years of long-standing events at the PGA National’s Championship course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Horschel grew up in Grant, Florida, north of the Palm Beach area of ​​Florida.

So, it is safe to say that the game and the players are all experienced in crocodiles, large, toothy and terrifying reptiles. Coincidentally, Horschel himself was a crocodile and starred in the University of Florida’s golf team during college.

Unless you are completely unfamiliar with golf in Florida, it’s no surprise that Horschel encountered a crocodile in the first round of the seventh hole of PGA National. But unless you are a Florida resident, what Horschel does underneath can be shocking.

The eight-time Tour champion set up a scene when talking to reporters after the round.

“Yes, we were on the 6th place in the green, I just let go and went to the left of the green. Just as I was about to walk to 7, I saw the crocodile hit,” Horschel began. “The policeman who worked with us came up there and tried to beg him, but he had nothing to touch him, and he tried to get as close to him as possible.”

Even for Floridians, it is unwise to get close to crocodiles. So, to get the game moving again, Horschel knew they needed a tool to help scare the crocodile to the green pond. Golf clubs have to do.

“Either someone is going to go up to No. 8 and grab the rake, or I’m 30 yards away, 25 yards away, I just grabbed a club, walked there and pushed him away.”

While thinking quickly, Horschel grabbed the first club he saw in his schoolbag and jogged the police and the criminal crocodile, which, from the video, seemed about 6 feet long.

Without hesitation, Hoscher glued the head of the wedge to the crocodile. At first, the animal did not retreat, but after Horschel hit the skull, the Gator stretched out his chin and turned around and ran around.

To ensure the work is done, the professional chases the crocodile all the way to the pond and then turns toward his caddie, his circle seemingly completely untouched.

“Listen, he got nothing. So I just went there and helped the police. As Kam who went there said, he was gone, what was he going to do, trying to use a Taser on him? But I think he would have to get close to that to make it work,” Horschel explained.

As you can see in the video below, Horschel finally chose to use a wedge to drive the crocodile away, which is an interesting choice as it is the shortest club in his bag. But it turns out to be a good thing because he has backups in case the crocodile fights back and bites his wedge.

“I have 60, but I haven’t considered it, but I did grab the benefit of being 60 because I have two extras in the locker, so if one really doesn’t work, I have two more in the locker.”

If anyone is shocked by Horschel’s casual attitude towards Gator, he details why he is not afraid and offers some safety tips for anyone planning to play golf in Florida.

“Yes, I’m not afraid of crocodiles. Listen, as I told most people, they say, they’re afraid of you more,” Hosel said. “Most of the time they’ll just follow you during mating season a little aggressive, then if you’re in their nest when they get the egg.”

He continued: “Most of the time, they were fine. When I grew up, Dad grabbed their tails on the side of the bank and poured them into the water. I never touched the tail with my hands, but I’ve done it with the club. It’s not that big.”

The event also won’t negatively affect Horschel’s score. Shortly after the process of clearing the reptiles, he ended his rounds with 8 and 9 back-to-back birds.

Those late red numbers put Horschel in the first round with 66 under 66, putting him seven shots behind Jake Knapp.

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