A golf vacation in Spain with friends ended in tragedy for Tom Ross Sunday, when the 73-year-old drowned while trying to retrieve his golf ball from a lake.
According to a report from Scotland’s Daily Record, Ross, who is from Scotland, fell in along the fifth hole at Dunas de Donana Golf Club in Andalucia. He was pulled out of the lake by his playing partners, including a doctor, but reportedly died at the course due to water in his lungs.
According to the report, Ross did not know how to swim and may have had heart problems.
‘It appears the man drowned after going into the lake to look for his ball,’ explained a police source. ‘What we don’t know yet is why he got into difficulties, whether he tripped and maybe suffered some sort of panic attack in the water, or whether a heart problem played a part.’
Ross is survived by two sons, both of whom live in Australia. Back at his home course of Nairn Golf Club near Inverness, club secretary Yvonne Forgan expressed sympathies.
‘Tom was a member here for 33 years,’ she explained. ‘He was passionate about his golf and had a handicap of 17. He will be sorely missed.’
