Editor’s Note: In a year that saw a Tiger Woods comeback for the history books, the world’s No. 1 ranking change hands numerous times and a Ryder Cup that produced a convincing victory and plenty of drama in the aftermath, the story of New Zealand golfer Jaden Goldfinch-Booker was the one that SwingU readers reacted to the most.
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Below, please find our most popular story of the year in its entirety.
A sad story came out of New Zealand in February as a golfer succumbed to injuries suffered during a round of golf with his friends.
Jaden Goldfinch-Booker was out for a round of golf with some friends in February when an errant drive struck him in the head causing him to be rushed to a local intensive care unit where he eventually died.
A round of golf among friends turned tragic. https://t.co/Hh8EjqsFub
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) February 27, 2018
Goldfinch-Booker, who was only 27 years old, was playing Queenstown Golf Club in Queenstown, New Zealand on Feb. 17, according to The New Zealand Herald. After being transported to the hospital, he was placed in a medically-induced coma, but passed away on Feb. 21
This is a shock and a tragedy for the family and friends of the man, and for those who were present at the time,” Detective Senior Sergeant Malcom Inglis said. “While the cause of death will be determined by the Coroner, we recognize the nature of the incident is not common and I personally have not overseen a case like this in my career.”
“Freak accident occurred over the weekend where Jaden was just wrong place wrong time,” a post to a GiveALittle page in Goldfinch-Booker’s honor read. “Heart Breaking accident at Queenstown Golf Club. He was playing a round of golf with some friends, they were on the 2nd tee & he Jaden was 50 meters away from his friends when a golf ball went the wrong way and struck Jaden in the temple.”
The fundraiser has garnered over $11,300 from nearly 160 donors.
