A putt-ing miracle! Florida golfer used his club to escape from an alligator that had grabbed him by the ankle and pulled him waist-deep into water

  • Tony Aarts used his putter to jab a gator in the eyes after being grabbed by the ankle
  • The Florida man was pulled waist-deep into a water hazard by the alligator
  • The alligator has been captured and put down by wildlife workers  

By Abigail Miller For Dailymail.com and Associated Press

Published: 16:06 EST, 11 February 2017 | Updated: 07:00 EST, 12 February 2017

Looks like he found his lucky putter.  

A Florida golfer made the shot of his life with a putter when he used it to escape an alligator that had grabbed him by the ankle.

Tony Aarts used his putter to jab the gator in the eyes before the alligator let him go. 

Scroll down for video 

Tony Aarts, pictured, used his putter to jab the gator that attacked him in the eyes before the alligator let him go

Tony Aarts, pictured, used his putter to jab the gator that attacked him in the eyes before the alligator let him go

Aarts was playing at the Magnolia Landing Golf & Country Club in the Fort Myers area last Wednesday when he heard a splash while approaching the fourth hole, reported WINK-TV.

He said to WINK: 'As I was walking about five to six feet away from the water, I heard a splash, and as soon as I heard that splash I knew it was an alligator, and he got me.' 

He says the gator grabbed his right ankle and he ended up on his back before they both rolled into a water hazard. The gator let ago after the jabs to the eye.

Aarts says that the alligator grabbed his right ankle, pictured, and he ended up on his back before they both rolled into a water hazard

Aarts says that the alligator grabbed his right ankle, pictured, and he ended up on his back before they both rolled into a water hazard

State wildlife workers captured the gator, pictured, and put it down

State wildlife workers captured the gator, pictured, and put it down

'I remember having a club in my hand, and as soon as he had me in the water up to my waist, I started hitting him over the head,' Aarts said. 

State wildlife workers captured the gator and put it down.

Aarts has lived in Florida for more than 35 years, so he was plenty accustomed to them. He'd never seen one so up-close though.

He was treated and released from a hospital, left with a great story to tell and some advice for fellow golfers. 

Aarts used the pictured golf club to hit the gator over the head and in the eyes until it let go

Aarts used the pictured golf club to hit the gator over the head and in the eyes until it let go

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