Golf is a game of unpredictable moments. A bad bounce here, a gust of wind there. But nothing could have prepared Charl Schwartzel for what happened at the par-3 seventh hole at LIV Golf Bedminster on Sunday. His tee shot rolled into a pond, and a fish swam up and swallowed the ball. On live TV. The video has since gone viral, with LIV Golf asking the golf world if they’ve ever seen anything like it.
Schwartzel, who won the Masters back in 2011, handled it about as well as you could expect. He took a one-stroke penalty, managed a bogey on the hole, and finished the tournament at two-over par. Joaquin Niemann took home the trophy, but the fish is the one getting all the attention online. It’s the kind of moment that makes you shake your head and laugh.
It also raises a good question. When you’re out on the course and something like that happens, what do you do? Do you grab a net and try to get your ball back? Do you just wave at the fish and move on? Every golfer has their own code. But one thing is for sure, that fish probably has a new favorite spot on that pond now.
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
