Whaley plays from water as alligator lurks nearby at Sanderson Farms

Vince Whaley stepped into a water hazard to play a third shot on the par 5 11th hole during the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi, on Sunday and completed the shot with an alligator about 20 feet away in the water. Whaley chipped out, got up and down for par, shot a 67 in the final round and finished tied for third.

The incident occurred on the 11th hole after Whaley’s approach sailed right of the green and settled in the muck near the water. As he prepared to play, the head of an alligator remained visible above the surface roughly 20 feet from where he stood. Whaley said he turned his back to the animal to focus on the shot and relied on his caddie to monitor the situation. The alligator did not move as he played, and he scrambled out short of the putting surface before completing the hole.

"Well, thankfully my back was to him so I could focus on the shot for a second," Whaley told reporters after the round. When asked what he would have done if the gator had advanced, he said the plan was to leave the water immediately.

Tournament officials did not report any injuries or other disruptions during the round. Whaley’s group, which included...