By David Kassabian (Contact) Originally published 06:07 a.m., September 20, 2007 Updated 06:07 a.m., September 20, 2007

A 36-year-old man drowned Wednesday while collecting golf balls underwater in a hazard at Padre Isles Country Club, police said.

The man was diving for balls with his male cousin in a long, narrow water hazard that hugs a dogleg bend on the course's fourth hole, said Capt. John Houston. The man's cousin started looking for the 36-year-old at about 1:30 p.m. after he noticed that his cousin did not come up for air for a few minutes, Houston said.

After an unsuccessful search, the cousin ran to the course's clubhouse and called police. A police diver found the man at about 3:30 p.m. in about eight feet of water, Houston said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. The man did not appear to suffer any external injuries, Houston said.

"It appears purely accidental," Houston said. "We have no evidence of foul play, alcohol or drugs being involved."

An autopsy is pending. Both men were wearing wetsuits and weight belts and no apparatus to breathe underwater.

Authorities did not identify the man Wednesday pending family notification. Houston said it wasn't immediately clear whether the man was a Corpus Christi resident.

The men did not directly work for the club, instead working for Houston-based golf ball collection firm Springer Golf Ball Co., said Jody Praznik, a golf assistant at the club.

Phone calls placed to the company after business hours Wednesday were not returned.

The hazard where the two men were diving covers about two acres, Praznik said. Contract workers come to the club every other month or so to scour the course's waters for errant golf balls, he said.

The course receives a shipment every two or three weeks of cleaned balls, Praznik said, and the contractor resells the rest. Praznik said he didn't recognize the victim's cousin.

"He came running in speaking in Spanish," he said. "We couldn't understand him, except that his buddy was missing."

The water where the 36-year-old went missing is about a half-mile from the clubhouse, Praznik said, and may be as deep as 12 feet.

Contact David Kassabian at 886-3778 or kassabiand@caller.com

Submitted on 09/21/2007

Submitted by: Mark Cross
Reference: Corpus Christi Caller Times, September 20, 2007

Copyright © 2007 DarwinAwards.com

Bruce said:
Neutral: For Darwin's Eyes
We've already received this story once or twice but I think this submission provides a bit more detail (specifically the size of the water hazard) so I'll pass it on for Darwin to see. Thanks, Mark.

James said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
I've been away on National Guard duty so I missed this the first time...nevertheless, I do like this one! Thanks, Mark!

Chip said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
Good story, Mark. I'll go with Bruce and James.

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