NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Matthew Hinton, an AP photographer based in Metairie, Louisiana, has covered a wide range of assignments across the region, including professional sports, breaking news and major events. He has worked extensively in the Gulf South and has produced numerous images recognized in AP Top Pix and other competitions.
Here’s what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.
Why this photo?
The PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans is the only regular-season team pairs competition. There are other special team events like the biennial Ryder Cup. The Zurich Classic’s unique format and New Orleans-area setting with alligators and a swampy surrounding give it a unique charm.
On Thursday the pairs were playing best ball or four-ball golf, meaning both golfers play each hole and the better score counts. U.S. golfer Michael Brennan had nothing to lose since his teammate, Johnny Keefer, had a better position closer to the green with a chance to make a birdie. In a normal single player tournament, Brennan would ask for relief or a drop from the edge of the hazard. Brennan said he was dropping it if he was just playing in a normal tournament, but Johnny had a birdie putt on the green, so he figured they could try it.
The 18th hole has a large swampy water hazard filled with alligators and birds. In another photo I made earlier in the morning on the same 18th hole you can see the red line marker that warns golfers not to walk over the line, and you can see floating debris and wildlife including a bird and gator along the edge of the 18th.
Louisiana has the most alligators in the United States with an estimated population of 2 million compared to Florida’s 1.3 million. Fortunately for Brennan, the gators were floating elsewhere nearby.
Chad Ramey, center, watches an alligator while an official throws treats to try to get the animal to leave the 18th fairway. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Chad Ramey, center, watches an alligator while an official throws treats to try to get the animal to leave the 18th fairway. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
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In another frame I made from Sunday a large gator is being moved away by a course official from the 18th fairway. There is a giant statue for Tripod, an alligator that is missing a leg and has roamed the 18th hole at previous tournaments. Though Brennan had nothing to lose in playing the shot, he definitely had to keep a careful eye out for nearby gators that might go after his own leg.
Brennan’s ball landed in a bigger raft of debris with some water and grass mixed in, so he took off his shirt exposing his farmer’s tan and chiseled physique and lined up to make the shot.
How I made this photo
Once he took his hat and shirt off, I knew he was going to go for it so I got a few shots of him disrobing and lining up his shot.
Michael Brennan takes his shirt off before trying to hit his ball out of floating debris on the 18th hole but it landed back in the water during the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic golf tournament at TPC Louisiana, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Avondale, La. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Michael Brennan takes his shirt off before trying to hit his ball out of floating debris on the 18th hole but it landed back in the water during the first round of the PGA Zurich Classic golf tournament at TPC Louisiana, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Avondale, La. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
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I then stayed positioned near the green knowing something unusual might happen with the water hazard in play and I shot in continuous mode to capture the sequence of pictures. The golf ball went up a few feet and then plopped right back into the water, throwing mud, water and debris onto Brennan, who wiped himself off on the grass of the 18th.
This shot was made with a 400mm f/2.8 Sony on a Sony Alpha 1 at 1/3200 second shutter speed at an aperture of f/3.5, and the wider shots were made with 70-200mm f/2.8 Sony lens on a second Sony Alpha 1 at 1/4000 second at f/2.8. This 400mm was a loaner because my personal 400mm was being serviced by Sony.
Why this photo works
This frame shows the peak moment, the ball still visible as mud, water and debris explode around him. This image works because it captures both the risk of Brennan’s shot and the unpredictable environment all in a single frame, a rare moment of chaos in a typically controlled and methodical sport.
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