A PGA Tour pro perhaps most famous for taking off his shoes and playing the ball with an alligator nearby withdrew from the Bank of Utah Championship on Friday due to an injury.
Vince Whaley, who made the cut in two of his last four PGA Tour events, was scheduled to play on Friday with Peter Malnati and Doug Ghim in the 2:30 p.m. grouping. He was 4 over after Thursday's round.
Back in 2025 at the final edition of the Sanderson Farms Championship, Whaley didn't get the win, but he may have delivered the most memorable moment of the week. During the final round, the PGA Tour veteran waded barefoot into a water hazard at the par-5 11th, rolled up his pants and played his third shot with his feet submerged rather than take a penalty.
That alone would
have been bold, but television cameras also caught an alligator lingering nearby, adding another layer of danger to an already risky decision. Whaley safely advanced the ball to just short of the green, chipped to within 3 feet and escaped with par. He eventually signed for a 5-under 67 to finish tied for third, but his fearless shot from the water quickly became one of the tournament's defining highlights and a strong contender for shot of the year.
Play it as it lies 🐊
— PGA Tour (@PGATour) October 5, 2025
Vince Whaley played this shot from the lake ... just a few feet away from a gator @Sanderson_Champ! pic.twitter.com/iK3NaSEdiZ
This year, however, the Georgia Tech product has made the cut just eight times in 22 starts.
Others who withdrew from the Bank of Utah Championship include Lanto Griffin (replaced by Kevin Streelman), Taylor Pendrith (replaced by Will Gordon), Austin Eckroat (replaced by Harry Higgs) and C.T. Pan.
Tim Schmitt is the managing editor of Golfweek.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: PGA Tour pro famous for hitting near alligator withdraws from Bank of Utah event
