GOLD COAST BULLETIN (Molendinar, Australia) 19 February 08 Golf ball snake back in the rough
Matt Conway's golfing career may never reach Tiger's level but after getting four of his prized balls stuck in a snake, he has one up on the golfing maestro.
Yesterday, the 13-year-old golfer watched breathlessly as 'his snake' -- the world famous Augusta -- was set free after having four golf balls removed from his intestine.
Augusta swallowed the golf balls after mistaking them for chook eggs on January 3. He was released at Nobby's Creek, near Murwillumbah.
"I signed up for golf at school after there were no other sports left. I hardly played and I had around 30-50 golf balls," said the Wollumbin High School student.
"My mum suggested that we put some in a chooks nest to encourage them to lay.
"I didn't know what had happened. I thought kids might have grabbed them or my cousins."
Matt was blown away after 260 newspapers around the world published stories about the snake's diet.
"We watched it on eBay and got a few newspapers and recorded the news. I was really surprised at the interest," he said. "The weird thing is that none of my friends have heard of it. I have to tell them that the news (media) are talking about 'my snake'."
Augusta's carer Sue Johnson, a volunteer at Tweed Valley Wildlife carers who oversaw his recovery, said he had regained his strength and his two scars were barely visible.
The golf balls removed from Augusta were recently sold on eBay for $1401.
The money is earmarked to help finance a hospital at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
Golf ball snake back in the rough