The fan who was struck by a wayward Brooks Koepka drive on Friday has reportedly lost vision in her right eye and is planning on suing the Ryder Cup as a result.
Corine Remande, 49, was struck by Koepka’s hooked drive on the par-4 6th hole. Remande, along with her husband, Raphael, had traveled from Egypt to France to witness the event.
“It happened so fast, I didn’t feel any pain when I was hit,” Remande said, according to The Evening Standard. “I didn’t feel like the ball had struck my eye and then I felt the blood start to pour. The scan confirmed a fracture of the right eye-socket and an explosion of the eyeball.”
Remande said surgeons were able to sew her eyeball back together, but she’s been told she will not regain her sight in her right eye.
“I obviously saw her,” Koepka said. “It looked like it hurt. She was bleeding pretty good. It looked like it hit her right in the eye, so hopefully there’s no loss of vision or anything like that.
“It doesn’t feel good, it really doesn’t. You feel terrible for them. You know exactly how they are feeling, especially when you’ve got to go over there and apologize, because they are in pain, usually bleeding, and then to hit her in the face is not — you don’t want to hit anybody in the face, especially not a woman, and it’s not a good feeling.”
Remande said that the organizers of the Ryder Cup were to blame for her injury.
“Quite clearly, there is responsibility on the part of the organizers,” she said. “Officials did not shout any warning as the player’s ball went into the crowd. More than anything, I want them to take care of all the medical bills to make sure there is no risk of infection.”
As for Koepka, Remande praised him for his compassion, but said that no one from the Ryder Cup reached out after she was taken to the hospital.
The European Tour, who puts on the event when it’s held in Europe, released the following statement.
“It is distressing to hear that someone might suffer long-term consequences from a ball strike,” the statement said. “The spectator hit by a ball at the 6th hole during Friday’s play was treated by first responders immediately and taken to the hospital.
“We have been in communication with the family involved, starting with the immediate on-course treatment and thereafter to provide support, helping with the logistics of repatriation, including providing a transfer for the family from Paris to Lyon. We will 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. 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. We are hugely sympathetic and will do everything we can to support the spectator, insofar as that is possible under very difficult circumstances.”
Remande remains adamant that she was not alerted that there was an incoming shot and planned to meet with a lawyer on Tuesday to discuss her legal options.
