Rickie Fowler had no time for a heckler while competing at the PGA National on Saturday, March 1.
The golfer, who is hoping to nab his first PGA Tour win since 2023, missed a putt on the 16th hole, apparently drawing the ire of one spectator in the crowd.
The Irish Times reported that while the comment from the person in question wasn’t audible, Fowler immediately shot back at the spectator.
“Of course you know,” he said, which prompted laughter from the crowd. He then aimed his par putt, pointed at the person, and added, “That’s why you’re in the stands.”
Aside from that interaction, Fowler is having an excellent tournament.
“I’ve played well a lot of times around here, and having won here, I know what I need to do. I’ve had a lot of good stuff the first two days, and a good way to fight through it today,” he said at a post-round press conference on March 1. “Looking forward to picking up where we were the first two days and playing well tomorrow and giving ourselves a chance.”
In addition to an unruly fan, the PGA Tour has been notable for other, um, eyebrow-raising reasons. On Thursday, February 27, Billy Horschel came in close contact with an alligator — and decided to fight it off on his own.
Horschel reached into his golf bag and pulled out a wedge that he used to hurl into the alligator’s face, which prompted the alligator to retreat. Horschel threateningly followed the alligator until it retreated all the way back to the water.
“I’m not afraid of gators,” he later told reporters. “Listen, as I tell most people, I said, 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.”
Horschel added that he initially wondered if a nearby police officer would tase the alligator, but then decided he was better suited for taking care of it.
“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,” Horschel explained. “I never touched a tail with my hand but I’ve done it with a club. Not that big of a deal.”
Horschel added, “We were on No. 6 green and I just putted out, went to the left side of the green there. Right about to walk to 7 I saw the gator coming across. 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.”
