The obstacles that come while contending at a PGA Tour event can be unrelenting.
Tight fairways, swirling winds, fierce competitors and nearby alligators all come to mind.
Wait, what was that last one again?
That’s right, while in the thick of this week’s Zurich Classic at TPC Louisiana, Cameron Champ was forced to take a swing while standing just a few feet from an alligator on Saturday.
Champ had knocked the ball in the water and he and playing partner Tony Finau — this is the Tour’s lone team event — needed the 25-year-old to step up and focus on an important shot, all while a gator was standing just a few yards away.
Champ downplayed the incident after the round, but his partner did not.
“It wasn’t that bad. He was maybe 20 feet, but still, he was a little guy,” Champ said. “I was kind of making sure he wasn’t going to …”
“The alligator wanted a piece of him after he hit it in the water,” Finau added.
“Yeah, probably so,” Champ replied.
Here's why you don't hit into the water @TPCLouisiana. 🐊 pic.twitter.com/IFXu1iTbNN
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 24, 2021
Champ and Finau are just one stroke behind leaders Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel heading into Sunday’s final round.
Of course, gators aren’t an unusual sight at golf courses on the south coast, as there have been numerous sightings of these four-legged fellows over the years — from big ones to territorial ones.
It wouldn't be a Zurich Classic without a gator spotting, would it? https://t.co/WNzLUapZva pic.twitter.com/xQ1HlJGYFo
— MYKAL from the INTERNET 🐸 (@mykal_vincent) April 23, 2021
"Other duties as assigned" 🧹 🐊 pic.twitter.com/Y1XXYdfToS
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 24, 2021
