The PGA Tour’s Florida Swing kicked off on Thursday, as the opening round of the Cognizant Classic played out. Jake Knapp, who was among the players nominated for Rookie of the Year in 2024, made history carding a 12-under 59 at the Palm Beaches. Yet, many would call Billy Horschel the hero of the day.
Horschel had an up-and-down start to his day and found himself walking toward the seventh tee box at 1-under. That is when he noticed something out of the ordinary; an alligator trying to cross the fairway.
Thankfully, the Florida native was the right man for the job.
Bill Horschel = Gator Tamer
pic.twitter.com/BrOE2vvYWe
— Caesars Sportsbook (@CaesarsSports) February 27, 2025
“Right about to walk to seven, I saw the gator coming across,” Horschel said after his round.
“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 was trying to get as close as he could. It was either someone was going to have to go up to No. 8 and grab a rake or I was 30 yards away, 25 yards away, and I just grabbed a club and went over there and pushed him away.”
Horschel even stalked the gator back into the water. He might very well have saved some patrons.
“Listen, he was going nowhere good. So I just went over there, helped the cop.”
“As Cam said before I went over there, he goes, what was he going to do, try and use a Tazer on him? But I think he would have had to get a little close on that one to try and make it effective.”
Indeed, attempting to taze an alligator seems like folly. It was wise of Horschel to use something more effective with longer range.
The experience must have made him feel right at home, too. Horschel went on to card four more birdies without a bogey to enter the clubhouse at 5-under par.
Billy Horschel is known for not being afraid to speak his mind. Apparently, there is not much that scares the PGA Tour vet.
“I’m not afraid of gators. Listen, 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. The majority of the time, they’re fine.
“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.”
That is quite a sentiment.
The post Billy Horschel Ironically Fends off Gator at Cognizant Classic appeared first on ClutchPoints.
