Most golf courses have hazards, but few are as dangerous as one encountered by LPGA rookie Daniela Holmqvist in Australia recently.
Holmqvist, who hails from Sweden, was participating in a pre-qualifier for the ISPS Handa Australian Open at Royal Canberra Golf Club in Yarralumla, Australia. On the fourth hole Holmqvist felt a sharp pain in her ankle, and she looked down to see a Black Widow spider on her leg.
Holmqvist swatted the bug away, but before she knew it she was doubled over in pain.
"When I told the local caddies in my group what had happened, they got very upset and said it was a Black Widow, and immediately started looking for their phones to call the medics," Holmqvist told Svensk Golf.
Her caddies told her that the venom from a Black Widow can sometimes kill a child in half an hour, so Holmqvist knew she had to act fast. With her leg swelling, Holmqvist reached into her pocket and pulled out a tee. She quickly cut open her skin and squeezed the venom out.
"A clear fluid came out," Holmqvist said. "It wasn't the prettiest thing I've ever done, but I had to get as much of it out of me as possible."
Amazingly, Holmqvist played on through her pain, shooting a 74 on the day. Medics followed her around the course to make sure she didn't pass out.
After her round, she couldn't help but joke about the incident on Twitter:
So there is "the shark" "pink panther" etc am I "the spider woman" now? Better than "the kangaroo lady" though..
— Daniela Holmqvist (@DHolmqvist) February 12, 2013
