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25th Aug 2019

Irishman hospitalised after lightning strike on US golf course

Carl Kinsella

Lightning strike

A very scary moment.

NBC cameras captured the dramatic moment when a bolt of lightning struck a 60-foot pine tree on the East Lake golf course in Atlanta, Georgia.

The incident occurred during the TOUR Championship. The PGA have since released a statement clarifying the situation: “A storm caused play to be halted at 4:17 p.m. Saturday, shortly after the final group of Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka completed the fifth hole.

“There were two lightning strikes 28 minutes later. One strike occurred near the maintenance area, while another struck a tree near the 16th tee. Debris from that strike injured six people”

It was reported by local police that one child and five adults were injured by the strike. It has since emerged that one of the men hospitalised is an Irish citizen. The Atlanta Police Department has since confirmed that all those injured have since been released from hospital.

In today’s statement, the PGA Tour said: “We are deeply grateful that the injuries were not more serious, and we’re proud of the collective efforts of the on-site team to quickly care for our fans during this frightening incident.”

Play has since resumed.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that it is aware of the case and providing consular assistance.

Topics:

Golf,Home News