A golf tournament in Palm Beach Gardens briefly turned into an impromptu wildlife encounter when an alligator strolled onto the course. Billy Horschel, who was finishing up a hole at the Cognizant Classic, quickly stepped in and helped direct the reptile back toward the water.
The unexpected visitor appeared near the sixth hole as players moved toward the next tee. A police officer attempted to shoo the gator away, but with nothing to prod it with, his efforts stalled. Horschel, seeing the situation, took a club from his bag and used it to encourage the alligator to change direction.
Billy Horschel: Florida Gator, gator wrangler. pic.twitter.com/KxZKX2aZp8
— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) February 27, 2025
Spectators nearby reacted with a mix of surprise and amusement. One attendee referenced Horschel’s background as a former Florida Gator athlete, joking that he was once again facing off against a gator in competition.
Later, Horschel explained that he wasn’t fazed by the encounter, having grown up in Florida where alligator sightings are common. He said he learned early on that the creatures typically avoid humans unless it’s mating season or they’re protecting their nests.
Horschel’s encounter didn’t throw him off his game — he completed the round with a 5-under 66. Jake Knapp, however, stole the show with an extraordinary round of 59, a feat only achieved 15 times in PGA Tour history.
Encounters with wildlife are a regular occurrence on Florida’s golf courses, where alligators, birds, and other animals often make their way onto the greens. Officials at PGA National were prepared to handle such interruptions, but in this case, a golfer took care of the problem himself.
