PHOTO: David Howell takes off shirt before playing shot out of mud

This wasn't how David Howell envisioned 2016 would begin.

The 40-year-old was playing his first hole of the calendar year at the South African Open on Thursday when an errant shot found its way into some mud. He followed it - but not before taking off his shirt.

Here's the blast zone created by his shot and the (minimal) damage caused:

He went on to bogey the hole, but at least his shirt stayed clean.

- With h/t to PGA.com