Organisers ‘offer support’ to fan blinded by tee shot

PARIS: Ryder Cup organisers said they will “continue to offer support” to a fan who was blinded in one eye after being hit by a tee shot from American Brooks Koepka last Friday.

Corine Remande, 49, had travelled to France from Egypt with her husband to watch the biennial showdown between Europe and the United States, held at Le Golf National club in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines just outside Paris.

But the avid golf fan’s holiday ended abruptly when Koepka’s tee shot on the par-four sixth hole veered left, landed among a crowd of spectators and hit her in the right eye.Now recovering from treatment on a fractured eye socket and a damaged eyeball, Remande was set to consult a lawyer on Tuesday in a bid to obtain damages.

A Ryder Cup spokesperson said: “It is distressing to hear that someone might suffer long term consequences from a ball strike. “The spectator hit by a ball at the sixth hole during Friday’s play was treated by first responders immediately and taken to hospital.“We have been in communication with the family involved. We will continue to offer support for as long as necessary.”