Golf is not a contact sport unless you are a bird, unfortunately, situated at the precise spot where the ball lands.
A shot by golfer Isi Gabsa appeared to either kill or seriously wound a bird on the 12th hole of the opening round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania on Thursday.
The 12th hole at Lancaster Country Club is NOT a birdie hole! #WomensUSOpenGolf pic.twitter.com/AOBZEoqQ7O
— Swing it and Ding it (@it_ding) May 30, 2024
“Brutal,” announcer Kira K. Dixon remarked during the Golf Central Live broadcast. Her co-host, Brandel Chamblee, was a bit more verbose. “On the list of bizarre things that we have seen on the 12th hole, this one is kinda sad, takes the cake,” Chamblee said. “Just a bird sitting on the green, minding its own business.”
Well, it wasn’t personal.
X was quick to respond, with many users recalling the moment former MLB pitcher Randy Johnson killed a bird with a baseball.
Randy Johnson: "Hold my beer." pic.twitter.com/ihN2cEO836
— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) May 30, 2024
Golf is a dangerous sport… 😂😂😂
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) May 30, 2024
Call PETA. We need to ban golf now.
— God JB Pricker (Parody) (@GodPricker) May 30, 2024
Aw poor little buddy. That would have been a great approach shot if not for the deflection. 😞
— Glenda (@Glendaragnarson) May 30, 2024
Birdie … harsh
— Socrates (@x_socrates1) May 30, 2024
FORE!!!!
— AmericanPapaBear (@AmericaPapaBear) May 30, 2024
The 12th hole has produced much drama at the U.S. Women’s Open this year. Tournament favorite Nelly Korda had this horrendous experience on the 12th earlier on Thursday.
A look at Nelly Korda's 10 on the par-3 12thpic.twitter.com/a4z7iJZAe2 https://t.co/4ZYjmjorrD
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) May 30, 2024
That shot contributed to a 10-over par for Korda and may have cost her the tournament. However, unlike with Gabsa’s shot, at least everyone survived.
