Spain’s Sergio Garcia feared being taken by an alligator in playing a shot from a hazard and on route to a share of the lead on the opening day of the Honda Classic in Florida.

Garcia took off his shoes and socks after hooking his tee shot into a hazard left of the fairway on the sixth hole on the PGA National course at Palm Beach Gardens.

He eventually took a bogey ‘5’ but more importantly the Spaniard also avoided being bitten ahead of birding the last and a round of a five under par 65 and tied with American Michael Thompson.

“That drive on 10 was probably one of my worst drives as I pulled it a little bit there but then I was more worried about the alligator that was on the other side of the island than getting out of the water, because the ball, I could see probably half of it,” said Garcia.

“So I knew that I could get it out, didn’t know how far out, but then I managed to hit a pitching wedge and came out a little bit low, but it got a little bit of run.

“I almost made 4, which would have been a great 4. I’m not going to lie, I was happy with a 5.”

“I was more worried about the alligator that was on the other side of the island than getting out of the water.” https://t.co/AOk5nBMO77

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 25, 2016