Charl Schwartzel’s round at LIV Golf New York was interrupted by one of the most unusual sights golf can offer: his ball went into the water on the seventh hole and was then eaten by a largemouth bass.
That left Schwartzel with more than just a bad break. After the ball entered the penalty area, he took relief and was handed a one-stroke penalty before going on to make bogey on the 134-yard par-3 at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.
An odd break in the action
The incident underlined how quickly a routine hole can turn strange when water comes into play. Schwartzel had already found the penalty area when the fish became part of the story, turning an ordinary missed tee shot into a wildlife interruption that will be remembered long after the tournament week.
It was a reminder that golf can still produce moments that feel completely outside the script. The player still has to accept the score, though, and Schwartzel did exactly that after taking relief.
Rules still apply, even when a fish gets involved
The penalty was straightforward once the ball was in the water. Schwartzel took the relief option, added the one-stroke penalty and completed the hole with bogey.
For a player with Schwartzel’s record, including his Masters win in 2011 and his victory at the first-ever LIV Golf event in 2022, it was a strange detour rather than a defining moment. But it was the kind of incident that made LIV Golf New York stand out, especially with the event returning to the New York area from Aug. 6-9 at Bedminster.
A reminder of golf’s wider appeal
The story also fits neatly alongside the work of Project Healing Waters, which was founded at Walter Reed Medical Center in 2005 and uses fly fishing as a therapeutic outlet for veterans. In that sense, the fish at Bedminster brought an unexpected link between sport, nature and the broader role outdoor activities can play.
For Schwartzel, though, the equation was simpler. The ball was lost to the water, the rules were applied, and the hole ended with a bogey after one of the most unusual breaks in recent golf memory.
