Gator vs. Gator: Horschel Goes Viral On PGA Tour

Billy Horschel is not new to Florida’s wildlife. The former Gator knows how to handle an alligator.

At PGA National, he put that knowledge to use. A 6-foot gator walked onto the course. A nearby officer struggled to move it. Horschel, seeing the issue, grabbed his wedge and acted. He poked the gator’s shoulder. The reptile hesitated and then backed off. Horschel guided it back to the water with ease. The moment, captured on video, went viral. One voice in the background summed it up.

“That’s a Gator getting a gator.”

Billy Horschel: Florida Gator, gator wrangler. pic.twitter.com/KxZKX2aZp8

— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) February 27, 2025

Gator Life

Horschel played for the Florida Gators in college and subsequently had seen his fair share of reptiles.

“I’m not afraid of gators,” he said. “They’re usually more afraid of us.”

He explained that they only get aggressive during mating season or when protecting their nests. 

“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 said. “I never touched a tail with my hand, but I’ve done it with a club. Not that big of a deal.”

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sent him gator-shaped chocolates. They called him the “coolest clubber on the course.” PETA senior vice president Lisa Lange praised his kindness toward wildlife. “Horschel’s empathy deserves applause,” she said.

Back to the Game

After handling the gator, Horschel refocused on golf. He had just finished the sixth hole and was heading to the seventh. He ended the round with a 5-under-par 66. By Saturday, he was in the top 10, but bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes cost him. 

Horschel, 38, remains a proud Florida native. He dreams of winning in his home state. “Winning in Florida would be really cool,” he said. For now, he has a new claim to fame — taming a gator with a golf club.