Swinging with Courage: Golfer Takes a Shot from the Edge of an Alligator-Infested Pond

Little-known American golfer Chandler Phillips took extraordinary measures to avoid a penalty during the third round of the PGA Tour Zurich Classic.

After hitting his tee shot on the par-4 16th hole at TPC Louisiana, Phillips found his ball precariously positioned on the edge of a pond, where cameras had previously caught sight of an alligator swimming nearby.

Rather than playing from where the ball lay or opting for a penalty, Phillips made the daring choice to remove his shirt, shoes, and socks before playing the shot barefoot.

“If you’re going to take your shirt off, make sure you hit a good shot,” remarked a commentator.

And he certainly did.

The ball rolled to a stop at the back of the green, allowing Phillips to salvage par.

Phillips and his teammate Jacob Bridgeman currently sit at 18 under, trailing the leaders by nine strokes in this unique team event.

The first and third rounds feature a best-ball format, with each player using their own ball, while only the best score counts. The second and fourth rounds are played using an alternate shot format.

PGA Tour rookies Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin hold a three-stroke edge heading into the final round on Monday morning (AEST).

Masters champion Rory McIlroy and his fellow Irishman Shane Lowry, the defending champions, are five strokes off the pace.

McIlroy had to endure a 90-minute weather delay before making a long eagle putt on the par-5 18th to conclude his round.

“During the delay, I wasn’t thinking about the putt at all. Once I got back out there, I focused on what I needed to do, and it was a nice bonus to see it go in,” McIlroy commented.