A 74-year-old Florida golfer died on Sunday after he drowned searching for his lost ball, police said.
Hermilo Jazmines and a friend were playing golf at the East Lake Woodlands Country Club around 7:37 a.m. when Jazmines teed off at the third hole, according to Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Jazmines was last seen looking for his ball near the green.
Investigators found Jazmines golf cart parked on the path and his putter was found on the ground near the water, police said. (RELATED: Officer Dies After Medical Emergency While Trying To Save Drowning Girl)
ROGERS, AR – SEPTEMBER 08: Water flows rapidly into the pond around the 15th green after play was suspended for the day at 10:49am cst during the second round of the 2007 LPGA NW Arkansas Championship presented by John Q. Hammons at Pinnacle Country Club on September 8, 2007 in Rogers, Arkansas. ( Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Investigators searched the woods nearby and scoured the edge of the pond with assistance from the Oldsmar Fire Department. Members of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office dive team eventually found Jazmines “submerged in the water near his putter.”
Jazmines was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
An autopsy will be conducted but officials do not suspect anything “suspicious” at this time, according to police.
“Investigators say the evidence suggests Jazmines may have fallen into the water and drowned,” police said, noting that Jazmines’ friends told police he frequently searches for lost golf balls.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Drowning is the third leading unintentional cause of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Approximately 320,000 people die worldwide annually due to drowning, according to the WHO.
