Shaun Micheel didn’t seem fazed following an encounter with a sizable snake on Friday during the second round of the PGA Championship in Charlotte.
Micheel, who lifted the Wanamaker Trophy in 2003, saw the reptile slithering its way across the fairway on the par-5 10th hole at Quail Hollow Club.
A tournament volunteer bravely used his foot to usher the snake into the rough, which allowed Micheel enough calm to hit his next shot to within 12 feet of the hole. Micheel, 56, ultimately converted his birdie putt.
“There was a guy following me and he goes, ‘Man, you need that snake on every hole,’ ” Micheel told the Charlotte Observer. “And I said, ‘Well, bring him along.’ ”
Sadly, Micheel couldn’t bring along the snake as a good-luck charm. He made just two other birdies to go along with six bogeys and a double bogey on his way to missing the cut.
The snake wasn’t the first uninvited reptile to crash this PGA Championship.
On Thursday, a snapping turtle made his presence known as Ryan Gerard approached his ball near the 14th green. The turtle ultimately made itself comfortable in the sand trap near the water.
Gerard shot a 5-under 66 on Thursday, but a 1-over 72 on a turtle-less Friday to drop into a tie for seventh after two days.
–Field Level Media