It was a cold day at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the Bay Hill Course in Orlando on Thursday.
Not surprising, an alligator sought the warmth of the sun baking next to a lake. A common occurrence on Florida golf courses.
What was somewhat more surprising was the action of rising star Cody Gribble.
The 26-year-old Texan sauntered up to the alligator, flicked its back causing the reptile to hot-tail it back into the lake.
Jason Day is off to a solid start to his title defence.Credit: Richard Heathcote
The PGA Tour tweeted footage of the incident with a warning. "Don't try this at home."
Gribble had no such quibbles.
"I've done it a couple times before," Gribble told Golf Digest. "If you think if that's crazy, you should meet my father, Bill Gribble. Next time you see him, have an interview with him. He loves all types of animals, but, yeah.
"I wasn't too worried about it at the time. Those guys, I mean, it's like a jolt, it's quick, they're not going to catch you, they're not going to catch you a couple of steps down. I mean, they're going to get you really quick early, but I'm not in its way. I'm right behind him. It's not going to happen."
Cody Gribble tangles with an alligator on the Bay Hills Course.
Gribble finished the day with a five-over 77.
Henrik Stenson tried a similar stunt on a caiman at the Rio Olympics, but this time with a golf stick.
Earlier, Jason Day credited a conservative gameplan for making a fast start to his title defence.
Facing tough, cold conditions in the morning, world No.2 Day has climbed to two- under-par with an opening round of 70.
Queensland native Day sits in a share of sixth place, three shots back of leader Emiliano Grillo of Argentina (67. Fellow Australian Greg Chalmers finished a three-under while Aaron Baddeley also had a 70.
"Overall, it was a good day, I just think that with how (thick) the rough is and how slick greens are, anything under par today in the morning was great," Day said.
Day, who who won this event in 2016 on the back of an aggressive approach that saw him go for 15 of 16 par fives in two that week, started on the 10th hole on Thursday and opted for mainly irons off the tee on his front nine.
With Bay Hill sporting thick rough this week, the strategy yielded two birdies on each of the par fives for the 29-year-old Day.
A more aggressive approach was taken on his back nine, but several wild tee shots forced Day to tap into his extraordinary short game as he ground out an even-par back nine.
However, Day has been upstaged by youngster Ryan Ruffels, currently the leading Australian at four under through nine holes.
The 18-year-old Victorian, at Bay Hill courtesy of a sponsor's invitation has bagged four front-nine birdies to sit just one shot back of the lead.
Tournament drawcards, world No.4 Hideki Matsuyama (73) and No.5 Henrik Stenson (75), both struggled to navigate the difficult Orlando golf course.
Meanwhile, Marc Leishman is next best of the Aussies with the Victorian native signing for a creditable one-under 71 with compatriot Rod Pampling two shots further back at one over playing his back nine.
Fairfax Media and AAP