CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Swedish golfer Daniela Holmqvist says she was bitten by a spider and used a tee to extract what she thought was potentially fatal venom before finishing her round during qualifying for the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Women’s Australian Open.
The Swedish Golf Federation reported on its website that Holmqvist was on the fourth hole at Royal Canberra when she felt a sharp pain on her ankle.
Holmqvist swatted the spider away and felt intense pain. She said people told her it was a black widow spider, so she used a golf tee to pierce the swelling and squeeze out the venom. The tournament said it was more likely a redback spider.
The University of Melbourne says 250 people are treated for redback bites each year. No deaths have been reported since the discovery of an antidote in 1955.
