While playing in a pre-qualifier for the Women’s Australian Open in Yarralumla, Australia, Ladies European Tour rookie Daniela Holmqvist felt a sharp pain in her leg on the fourth hole. When she looked at her leg, she saw a black spider crawling off of her, which her caddies immediately identified as the deadly Black Widow.
The pain in her leg was instantaneous and severe. Holmqvist’s caddies told her that venom from a Black Widow can kill a child in just half an hour, so they knew something had to be done fast. Most people would probably head straight to the emergency room — but not Holmqvist.
As her leg started to swell, the golfer pulled a golf tee from her pocket, cut open her skin and squeezed the venom out. The Yahoo! Sports blog “Devil Ball Golf” speculates, quite accurately, that Holmqvist just may be the toughest golfer in the world.
“A clear fluid came out,” Holmqvist said. “It wasn’t the prettiest thing I’ve ever done, but I had to get as much of it out of me as possible.”
Then she finished the tournament, finishing out her round and shooting a 74. Unfortunately, she was four strokes short of qualifying, though she probably should’ve gotten a few strokes taken off for playing after getting bit by a Black Widow.
Holmqvist seems to be embracing her new nickname: “The spider woman.” Oh, and she also went to an actual doctor later on and is recovering nicely.
So there is “the shark” “pink panther” etc am I “the spider woman” now? Better than “the kangaroo lady” though..
— Daniela Holmqvist (@DHolmqvist) February 12, 2013
“So I went to see a doctor.. On a double dose of antibiotics and some other stuff 4 times per day. Also the wound needed some attention,” she tweeted, later adding: “I asked the doctor if I could do a workout today… Her response ‘the death-stare.’”






















































































































Comments (121)
americanfirst
Feb. 14, 2013 at 10:46amWe need women like this in America to kick some socialist *ss!!
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vayapues
Feb. 14, 2013 at 10:42amCutting the venom out is pretty impressive, though unnecessary. Black Widow bites are not deadly unless the person is a very small child, or unless they are allergic to the venom.
All that would have happened is that her leg would have swelled a bit, and it would have gotten stiff. Within a day, she would have been fine.
Cutting it out is impressive, but let’s not encourage others to do likewise. If you get bit by a black widow, don’t freak out and cut a junk of flesh out. You are going to be fine.
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OniKaze
Feb. 14, 2013 at 10:30amI got bit by a Widow when I was a child (around 11). They seemed to like the under-side of our porch..
Painful, but not too bad… No where near as bad as most people make it out to be… By far, the bite of the funnel-web (Brown Recluse) was worse… THAT ONE HURT…
Not sure I agree with her decision to cut her leg open to “get the venom out”….
Everyone I have ever know that deals with venom and bites tells me NOT to do that… You risk further infection beyond what the venom is capable of.. Unnecessary damage… Maybe I am wrong, but I trust the people who told me that, and from my own experience, it has held true…
But maybe it was an exception…
Glad this girl is okay… Anyone with a weak immune system would have had a hard time with Widow Venom… Proves she is healthy…
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gyro
Feb. 14, 2013 at 10:25amkick ass girl
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grimjack3791
Feb. 14, 2013 at 10:12amShe’s from Sweden, one of the world capitals of ice hockey and death metal. Of course she’s tough.
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SixthArmy
Feb. 14, 2013 at 9:49amDid they kill the spider? Awful critters they must never be allowed to survive.
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autigers2010champs
Feb. 14, 2013 at 9:48amGood thing it didn’t bite her between the first and second hole if you know what I mean HA HA HA
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sandlakebob
Feb. 14, 2013 at 9:40amNow that’s my kind of woman !!
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hebashen
Feb. 14, 2013 at 9:39amSounds like my brother. He was out hiking and accidentally sliced through his calf muscle with a scythe. He sat down, pulled it out, sterilized it as best he could and then sewed it up. He’s a nurse but still to do that to yourself is really something.
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BehindTheMouth
Feb. 14, 2013 at 9:25amObama golfs…. just saying
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thegodfather
Feb. 14, 2013 at 8:55amI think there is a penalty stroke involved here, for “removing an obstruction”.. I’m going to contact Old Tom Morris and get a ruling.
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ItsAllCrap
Feb. 14, 2013 at 8:29amSlow news day? As of the time I post this the top three stories on the Blaze are 1) black kid’s jeopardy answer 2) lady golfer’s spider bite 3) old writer can’t remember her dogs name! Jeeez! I am starting to wonder if I should get my news elsewhere.
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RDMercer
Feb. 14, 2013 at 8:12amThey raise ‘em tough in the Outback. Just like Texans. Hope she killed the friggin’ spider.
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andrew36
Feb. 14, 2013 at 5:35amIt was a red back, since when do black widows live in Australia. Noone has died from a red back bite in over a 100 years, so they are not that dangerous, just make you feel sick, unless you are allergic of course.
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denkat56
Feb. 14, 2013 at 3:14amDaniela I love you! Sorry honey.
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Ghandi was a Republican
Feb. 14, 2013 at 1:28amHonestly? I can’t really think of any Golfer who would leave a tournament because of a spider. I don’t care what kind it is. I knew an old guy that had a heart attack coming up the 17th hole but insisted on playing out the round.
Dead serious. He said “This’ll be my 5th one, I know I can make it” World War 2 Vets. I love the ol’ guys.. Who’s going to argue?
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sparkyrules
Feb. 14, 2013 at 1:54amPut her on the map.Daniela Holmqvist.Give the Lady a par 4 for good measure.She deserves it.
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JACKTHETOAD
Feb. 14, 2013 at 1:15amThat reminds me of Ronnie Lott.breaking his own smelling salts capsule and using it himself on the sidelines during a Raiders game. She’s one tough cookie.
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sparkyrules
Feb. 14, 2013 at 12:37amAustralian black widows aren’t the type found in the USA..Just because the name says its so,doesn’t necessarily mean they are the same.The species evolve in their environment,just like any other pest or critter.Or insect.
I’ve seen magnificent,colorful 6-8″” Moths hanging around corn bins in Indiana in the Summer.I’ve also seen ugly and yet wonderful Wolf spiders the size of my fist.Even the chickens were’ running scared of those.
I was walking down a creek one day with my brother,under a man made concrete bridge and we both froze at the sight.
It looked like a monitor lizard.Fat long body,thick legs,,black with spots and easily 4′ long.It just slivered under the rocks.
Those Al Gore types haven’t lived or seen nothin’.
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busterpuddles
Feb. 14, 2013 at 12:30amIt’s fun to read the input from all of the ‘know-it-alls’ about the spider incident. These are the people that have to add their two cents into every conversation, because their astounding logic supercedes all manner of intelligence.
Hey! Here’s an idea. Why don’t we just take the article at face value and congratulate her in the action she took. Sheesh. Must we knit-pick every little thing?
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purple_circles
Feb. 14, 2013 at 12:08amHmm.. the Mayo Clinic article I just read said to identify the spider, wash the area with soap and water apply a tourniquet if on an arm or leg above the bite without cutting off circulation and apply ice to the bite, and seek medical attention, and there is an antidote for black widow bites and for brown recluse there are various medications to treat it with. You might want to look up the proper treatment for your health rather than rely on this article. I would imagine in children the bite could be more serious.
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sparkyrules
Feb. 13, 2013 at 11:44pmI’m glad I live up North.Growing crops and taking good care of our bees.Our spiders up here usually run and hide from rednecks.But then there’s the occasional exception…
http://www.creaturecontrol.net/Spiders
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ChiefGeorge
Feb. 13, 2013 at 11:31pmOh boy! If I wasn’t happily married!!!! ARRRG!
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injunjoe
Feb. 13, 2013 at 11:11pmMaybe oblome ought to go golfing “down under”
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ThreeDee
Feb. 13, 2013 at 11:09pmI’ve been hit four different times by those nasty buggers over the last ten or so years. First bite was worst, effects lasted about seven days. Fever, mild convulsions, headache, nausea, vomiting, loose bowels and a general feeling of BLAH! Each subsequent bite less in effect and the last left me nauseated and achy for 24 hours. Upside for me was the complete lack of arthritis pain for a year afterward each time. NOT necessarily a good idea, though, as most afflicted will either improve drastically or worsen drastically.
HOWEVER…..as my Aus friend says, nearly everything out there is deadly and at the least substantially worse than our equivalent. Redbacks are more frequently fatal (still a lactrodectus), but worst is the Sydney Funnel Web.
But…from my own experience even as a “Seppo”…my respects to the lady for her quick action and the finishing of her game. Wish I could find a lady from the Aus Outback….they aren’t weak!
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Charley1
Feb. 13, 2013 at 10:49pmBS story. Black Widow venom is a neurotoxin, so there is very little swelling at the site of the bite. Venom affects the nervous system, not muscle tissue, so there isn’t much swelling, no lymph pouring out of a wound. Bites can vary, depending on a number of factors…how much venom was injected, what is the general health of the person bitten, what is the state of their immune system, and so forth.BWs are native to the Southern US, would be most unusual to find one in Austrailia. Spider was probably misidentified.
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