Pro Golfer Tripp Isenhour Kills A Hawk, Animal Activists Go “Squaaaaw”

Tripp Isenhour is a doubter of his professional golfing abilities. Well, that’s his defense after animal activists turned irate over reports that Isenhour killed a squawking hawk during the filming of “Shoot Like A Pro.” The hawk was squawking so loud that a scene had to be reshot and Isenhour went berserk, began pelting golf balls in the direction of the bird and eventually hit the animal from 75 yards out. That’s about the right distance for a pitching wedge, right?

”As soon as this happened, I was mortified and extremely upset and continue to be upset,” Isenhour said in a statement issued through his management company, SFX Golf. ”I want to let everyone know there was neither any malice nor deliberate intent whatsoever to hit or harm the hawk. I was trying to simply scare it into flying away.”

We totally understand. When we stole that car a few years back, we never intended to get caught red handed by the police. But, damn, we were mortified when consequence peeked it’s helmet bound head and told us we “was in trouble.” The next excerpt will provide the details confirming Isenhour was spewing balls towards the hawk like a batting cage pitching machine.

The 39-year-old player, whose real name is John Henry Isenhour III, became angry while filming ”Shoot Like A Pro” on Dec. 12 at the Grand Cypress Golf Club when a squawking red-shouldered hawk roughly 300 yards away forced another take.
He drove closer to the bird in his golf cart and starting hitting balls at it. The bird didn’t move and Isenhour gave up and drove away.
Isenhour started again when the hawk moved within about 75 yards, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer Brian Baine indicated in a report.
Isenhour allegedly said, ”I’ll get him now,” and aimed for the hawk.
”About the sixth ball came very near the bird’s head, and (Isenhour) was very excited that it was so close,” Baine wrote.
A few shots later, witnesses said he hit the hawk. The bird, protected as a migratory species, fell to the ground bleeding from both nostrils.

Tripp’s made the top 3 finish of a PGA tournament only three times in his career, so he’s not accustomed to dealing with success. But if this was Tiger Woods, he’d be fist pumping and high-fiving the gallery after that shot. Sucks for the bird, though.
Pro Golfer Apologizes for Killing Hawk [NYTimes]
Image [PGA]