Ryder fan blinded by Koepka shot

The woman hit in the face by a Brooks Koepka shot at the Ryder Cup said she has been left permanently blind in her right eye.

Corine Remande, 49, says her “eyeball exploded” after being caught by Koepka’s drive on the sixth hole on the tournament’s opening day Friday.

Medics rushed to her aid in front of concerned onlookers before she was taken to the hospital. She was later transferred to the Croix-Rousse facility in Lyon.

She is planning to sue organizers after doctors told her she will never be able to see with that eye again.

“It happened so fast, I didn’t feel any pain when I was hit,” Remande told AFP. “I didn’t feel like the ball had struck my eye and then I felt the blood start to pour. The scan on Friday confirmed a fracture of the right eye socket and an explosion of the eyeball.”

Koepka, 28, rushed to check on Remande. She said she downplayed the incident at first to prevent the golfer from becoming distracted.

Koepka later signed a glove for Remande and apologized to the stricken fan. And after the match, he said he felt terrible. He apologized again Tuesday on Twitter:

“I was deeply hurt and saddened by the tragic accident that occurred when a shot I hit off the 6th tee struck Ms. Remande. I spoke to her at the time on the golf course and after now learning her condition is worse than first thought, I have made contact with her/family to offer my sincere and heartfelt sympathy. I am heartbroken by the incident. My thoughts remain with Ms. Remande and her family, and I have asked to be kept informed on her condition.”

The European Tour, the co-organizer of the event, is launching an investigation.

“It is distressing to hear that someone might suffer long-term consequences from a ball strike,” a Ryder Cup spokesperson said.