A golfball-retrieval diver in Florida has had one arm badly mauled when he startled a 3m alligator under water.
The incident occurred on 7 July at the Rotonda Golf & Country Club in Englewood.
Scott Lahodik, 51, from Jacksonville, had been contracted to recover lost balls from a lake on one of the courses.
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“He just came and, full blast, grabbed my arm all the way back in his throat,” he told Tampa TV station Fox 13.
“He rolled a couple times and then he still didn’t let go, so I knew I had to do something.”
The animal let go when Lahodik started aiming punches towards its eye.
Lahodik was able to make it out of the lake, drive his golf-buggy to the clubhouse and get help. He underwent surgery at a hospital in Fort Myers, while the alligator was caught by officials, reportedly taking half an hour to land.
Lahodik had been a professional golfball diver for almost 30 years, but after his traumatic experience said he doubted whether he would feel able to resume his career.
