PGA Tour golfer John Henry "Tripp" Isenhour III has apologized after he was charged on Wednesday with killing a hawk on purpose with a golf shot because it was making noise as he videotaped a TV show.

The 39-year-old Georgia Tech graduate was charged with cruelty to animals and killing a migratory bird. He was at the Grand Cypress Golf Course on Dec. 12 to film "Shoot Like A Pro" when he became annoyed with the shrieking hawk.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 14 months in jail and $1,500 in fines.

In a statement, Isenhour said, "As soon as this happened, I was mortified and extremely upset and continue to be upset. I want to let everyone know there was neither any malice nor deliberate intent whatsoever to hit or harm the hawk. I was trying to simply scare it into flying away.

"As evidenced by our family having adopted three cats from a local shelter, I am an animal lover. We ask that everyone accept my sincerest apology, and please be respectful of my family's privacy."

Witnesses from the film crew said the Orlando (FL) golfer was reading his lines when the federally protected red-shouldered hawk started making sounds from about 300 yards away.

Sound engineer Jethro Senger said Isenhour grabbed a golf cart and drove closer to the hawk and hit several golf balls toward the bird before giving up.

The hawk flew closer and landed in a tall pine, about 75 yards away. Isenhour started swinging again, getting closer with each shot. On the 10th shot, he hit the bird causing it to fall more than 30 feet to the ground.

The bird was buried off the fairway, but has since been exhumed by wildlife officials in case of a trial.

Senger said he felt guilty for standing around and doing nothing and told wildlife officials about the incident.

Said Senger, "It was like a joke to him. He just kept saying how he didn't think he could have hit it, which I think is a stupid thing for a PGA Tour golfer to say. He can put a ball in a hole from hundreds of yards away, and here he is hitting line drives at something that's, I don't know a couple of hundred feet away?"

Isenhour turned pro in 1990. He earned $471,000 last year and ranked No. 152 on the PGA Tour. He won four times on the Nationwide Tour, including twice in 2006. He's played three events this year, including a tie for 36th place two weeks ago at the Moonah Classic in Australia.