Professional golfer arrested for attempting to meet with a minor, Orlando police say

Photo: Daniel Bowling

Originally published as a Orlando Sentinel article – 

“A Canadian professional golfer was arrested in Orlando on Thursday while trying to meet up with what he thought was a 15-year-old girl he met online, according to the Orlando Police Department.

Investigators said Daniel Bowling, 26, used a chat site to contact an agent pretending to be a 15-year-old girl in early April. Within a day of contacting the girl, Bowling’s chats with her became sexual and “intensified quickly,” according to an OPD release.

Bowling faces nearly a dozen charges, including obscene communication, traveling to meet with a minor and attempted lewd and lascivious molestation, according to OPD. His arrest records were not immediately available Thursday afternoon.

In a photo posted to Instagram last week, Bowling said he was at the Orange Tree Golf Club in Dr. Phillips for pre-qualifying rounds of the U.S. Open. Scores from the May 5 games show Bowling did not qualify, scoring a 78 and placing him in the T35 position.

According to the PGA Tour, he has played seven tour-affiliated events since 2012.

“Unfortunately, there are potentially hundreds of predators like Mr. Bowling online,” Jennifer Wing, with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, said in a statement. “I hope news of today’s arrest encourages parents to be more proactive in monitoring their children’s lives online.”