Six people were injured after a lightning strike at the season-ending PGA Tour Championship event outside Atlanta on Saturday.
The PGA Tour said that two lightning strikes hit East Lake Golf Club at 4:45 p.m. ET, 28 minutes after the third round was suspended due to thunderstorms in the area. The Tour said that a tree in the area between the practice range, the 15th green and the 16th tee “was hit and debris from that strike injured four people.”
Lightening strike at the FedEx cup championship in Atlanta. Hope everyone is ok. #FedExCup pic.twitter.com/gbSFvVJwHO
— Blake Manuel (@Bcicles) August 24, 2019
The Tour added that six fans were taken from the course in ambulances for further medical attention. Atlanta Police spokesman James H. White III said the six had sought shelter beneath the tree that was struck by lightning. He said they were taken to hospitals for further treatment, all of them alert, conscious and breathing.
“Our latest report is that their injuries do not appear to be life-threatening,” the statement added.
Brad Uhl of Atlanta was crammed under a hospitality tent to the right of the 16th hole that was open to the public.
“There was just a big explosion and then an aftershock so strong you could feel the wind from it,” Uhl told The Associated Press after the last of the ambulances pulled out of the golf course. “It was just a flash out of the corner of the eye. It was raining and everyone was huddled near the tree.” – READ MORE