Black Widow no match for ice cool Holmqvist

The dangers of golf courses are plentiful but it’s doubtful any Irish golfers teeing off this weekend will endure anything like the trauma faced by Sweden’s Daniela Holmqvist.

The LPGA Tour rookie was bitten by a deadly Black Widow spider while competing in a pre-qualifier for the ISPS Handa Australian Open at Royal Canberra Golf Club in Yarralumla earlier this week.

The arachnid is one of the deadliest in the world as its venom can kill an adult in under an hour.

Holmqvist recalled: “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.”

But while all around her were panicking, the young Swede remained calm and composed and took action which possibly save her life. She used a golf tee to open the wound and then squeeze the venom out.

“A clear fluid came out. 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, she completed her round, shooting a 74 on the day.