American golfer Vince Whaley had a heart-stopping experience at the Sanderson Farms Championship on October 5, 2025. While playing the final round, Whaley hit a wayward shot into ankle-deep water on the 11th hole, where he encountered a lurking alligator. Despite the close proximity of the reptile, Whaley calmly played his shot, managed to bring the ball back onto dry land, and saved par. He finished the round with a five-under 67, tying for third place, five strokes behind winner Steven Fisk. Whaley humorously captured the moment on Instagram, saying, “Saved par and both hands… sorry, Chubbs!”
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This isn’t the first time alligators have made an appearance at golf tournaments in Florida. PGA Tour pro Billy Horschel also had a notable encounter with an alligator at the Cognizant Classic, where he bravely chased a 6-foot-long alligator off the course with his 60-degree wedge ³.
Golfer saves par and both hands in close encounter with alligator. American golfer Vince why had a particularly nerve-wracking encounter with a big tothed onlooker at the Sanderson Farms Championship on Sunday as he was forced to play a shot under the watchful gaze of a lurking alligator. Whe rolled up his trousers and waited into ankle deep water after a weward shot during the final round of the tournament, only to discover he had some unwanted company. An alligator’s head could be seen poking out of the water just a few feet away as why prepared to take his shot, but the 30-year-old quickly brought the ball back onto dry land and escaped with par on the 11th green. He eventually finished the round with a five under 67 and tied for third in the tournament, five strokes behind winner Steven Fisk. Why joked about his brush with danger in a post on Instagram, saying, “Save par in both hands. Sorry, Chubs. Alligators have made a habit of popping up at golf tournaments with Billy Horchel even chasing one off the course by poking it with his 60deree wedge at the Cognizant Classic this year.
