Here’s the story of one more bizarre moments in the history of the game we all love so much.
It’s the freak tale of a fish swallowing a golf ball belonging to one of the more famed players in the pro game – 2011 Masters winning South African Charl Schwartzel.
Schwartzel was left having to take a one-shot penalty after a fish emerged from the depths of a seventh hole water hazard during last Sunday’s final round of #LIVGolfNewYork at the host Trump National Golf Club course at Bedminster in New Jersey.
Have you ever seen anything like this? #LIVGolfNewYork | @SouthernGuards pic.twitter.com/edW0ETlbFm
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) August 9, 2026
Golf’s second-born South African to be fitted with an Augusta National members green jacket hit his tee-shot into the par-3, 174-yard hole that only just found the front edge of the green before then rolling straight back into the water hazard guarding the green.
However to everyone’s absolute amazement a fish appeared to take Schwartzel’s golf ball in its mouth, leaving those watching on speechless.
Of course, we’ve all seen birds pick-up a golf ball and fly off with it but not a fish.
MASTERS CHAMP LEFT GOB-SMACKED ….
As a fish jumps-up to swallow the golf ball of Charles Schwartzel @CA_Schwartzel during final round #LIVGolfNewYork @livgolf_league
The 2011 @TheMasters cannot believe his misfortune & the incident draws comments such as: “Gonna start… pic.twitter.com/DIpiEjWjsA
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) August 10, 2026
“I have never seen that!” one TV commentator said.
There was plenty of social media comments including: “Gonna start using golf balls for bait”.
Others included: “Fish swallowing a golf ball is a new one. “LIV Golf is taking us places we’ve never been before,” whereas another remarked. “What’s the rule on this one?” Another queried. “A fish steals a golf ball! Seriously this has to be a first”.
It’s uncertain if the fish had not taken Schwartzel’s ball if he could have played it or not.
While there was complete amazement over the incident the Rules of Golf still apply as the water harard, and like almost all water hazards is a lateral hazard and as such, Schwartzel had to take a penalty shot.
Of course, he did not get to play the ball he’d hit into the water as that was the fish’s to savour … smiling.
Schwartzel posted a bogey ‘4’ on route to signing for a closing round 73 for a two-over par tally and an eventual share of 22md place, a distant 18 shots behind red-hot champion Chilean Joaquin Niemann.
