Koepka reflects on errant shot that injured woman
Brooks Koepka did what any golfer will do immediately after an errant shot strikes a spectator. He headed for the gallery to check on the fan’s condition and offer a golf glove and an apology.
But this was no ordinary beaning. Corine Remande, 49, said that she had suffered a “fracture of the right socket and the explosion of the eyeball” Friday. Koepka spoke about the accident after learning of the extent of Remande’s injury as he prepared to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St. Andrews this week.
“Yesterday was probably one of the worst days of my life,” he told reporters (via the BBC). “I haven’t had too many tragedies in my personal family where there’s been a loss or any kind of tragic accident, so I’ve been lucky in that sense. I’m not the biggest person on social media so when I got here (Monday) and had about seven missed calls and 25 text messages I was like: ‘What’s going on?’
“Then I was told the news and obviously I am really heartbro-
ken. My stomach sank. It’s sad and I’m really torn up about it.”
Remande told Agence France-Presse that she had remained calm and tried to downplay her injury in the immediate aftermath of the injury so that Koepka “would stay concentrated” as he and Team USA faced Team Europe at Le Golf National just outside Paris.
“It happened so fast,” she added, “I didn’t feel any pain when I was hit. 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 eyesocket and an explosion of the eyeball.”
Remande told AFP that she is planning to consult with an attorney about possible legal action and that Ryder Cup organizers gave no warning that Koepka’s tee shot was heading in her direction. Ryder Cup organizers dispute that, but said that they would “continue to offer support for as long as necessary.”
“Ball strikes are an occasional hazard for spectators but this kind of incident is extremely rare,” organizers said in a statement. “We can confirm that ‘fore’ was shouted several times but also appreciate how hard it can be to know when and where every ball is struck if you are in the crowd.”
Koepka noted that it’s “hard to control a golf ball, especially for 300 yards, and a lot of times the fans are close to the fairway. You can yell ‘fore’ but it doesn’t matter from 300 yards, you can’t hear it.”
As pro golfers do after striking a spectator, Koepka checked on Remande immediately and offered her a golf glove. On Tuesday, he offered his “sincere and heartfelt sympathy” in a statement on Twitter.
“I was deeply hurt and saddened by the tragic accident that occurred when a shot I hit off the sixth tee struck Ms. Remande,” Koepka tweeted Tuesday. “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.”