Fan Heckles Tiger Woods, Pays The Price

Using a Taser has apparently gained popularity as the most efficient way of controlling unruly fans at sporting events across the country.  The Philadelphia Phillies’ security team made national news earlier this week when they used a Taser to drop a fan who jumped onto the field and outran them for a while — apparently angering the security guard who was chasing after him.  The PGA is now getting in on the action as a means of protecting Tiger Woods from inconsiderate fans.  According to Deadspin, via NY Daily News, Security guards at The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach called the sheriff after a fan refused to stop heckling Tiger on Friday.  Apparently he still wouldn’t give it up when officers got there, inspiring deputies to Taser and arrest the fan.  Travis Parmelee, 36, of Jacksonville, Fla. has been charged with disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest.  I’m shocked alcohol was involved.

Maybe the genius who flew banners with phrases heckling Tiger over Augusta knew what they were doing when they chose to take shots at him from an altitude of several thousand feet.  Clearly, the PGA isn’t going to tolerate any extensive harassment of its former poster boy, so it’s probably safer to do it that way if you must.  We knew when Tiger returned stories like this one would start surfacing.  I found it quite fitting that this particular incidence happened to involve the newest fad in professional sports — the Taser.  Gotta love this guy’s Hawaiian shirt, too.  Great touch.

Sources:
Drunk Golf Fan Taunts Tiger, Gets Tasered at The Players Championship [Deadspin]
Drunk golf fan Tasered for heckling Tiger Woods at The Players Championship [NY Daily News]