PALM BEACH GARDENS — Fittingly, it was a Florida Gator willing to take on a South Florida alligator in Thursday’s first round of the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches at PGA National.
Billy Horschel, an All-American at the University of Florida, was walking off the sixth green of the Champion Course when he saw the reptile crawling out of a canal and headed toward their group. Talk about playing through.
“I saw the gator coming across,” Horschel said. “The cop who was working with us walked over there and tried to shoo him, but he didn’t have anything to touch him, and he (alligator) was trying to get as close as he could. As Cam (Young) said before I went over there, ‘What’s he going to do, try and use a Taser on him?’ Listen, he was going nowhere good. I just went over there (and) helped the cop.”
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This wasn’t Horschel’s first encounter with alligators. He was born in Grant, south of Melbourne, and has spent his 38 years living in the Sunshine State, now residing in Jacksonville Beach.
“I’m not afraid of gators,” said. “As I tell most people, they’re more afraid of you. The majority of the time they’re only going to come after you during mating season where they’re a little aggressive, and then if you’re around their nest when they’ve got some eggs. I grew up with my dad grabbing their tail when they’re on the side of the bank and shooing them back in the water. I never touched a tail with my hand, but I’ve done it with a club. Not that big of a deal.”
When asked what club he used, Horschel spoke like a true golfer. “I had a 60(-degree sand wedge). I grabbed a 60 because I’ve got two extra ones in the locker so if that one did become unavailable.”
Despite his “Wild Kingdom” moment, Horschel shot 5-under 66 and was tied for 14th after the morning wave.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Cognizant Classic drama: Billy Horschel uses golf club to chase away alligator
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