A golf fan who was blinded in her right eye after being hit by a golf ball at the Ryder Cup is planning to launch a lawsuit against the tournament organizers.
The Daily Mail reports that 49-year-old Corine Remande traveled to France from Egypt to watch the Ryder Cup with her husband Raphael and the golf-mad pair were looking forward to watching some exciting golf.
Husband and wife had taken their places at the Le Golf National club in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines just outside Paris and were keenly anticipating the showdown between Europe and the United States when disaster struck.
They were avidly watching American golfer Brooks Koepka make his tee shot when the ball veered left, which rocketed into the gathered spectators on the sixth hole and went hurtling directly into Remande’s right eye, causing it to explode.
Medics rushed to Remande’s aid before she was transferred to a specialist eye hospital in Paris.
Eye scans revealed “a fracture of the right socket and the explosion of the eyeball.”
Even though the surgeons were able to sew it back together, they informed Remande that she would lose the sight in her right eye.
Doctors warned Remande that flying immediately back to Egypt would be highly dangerous and told her to cancel her flight. After leaving the Croix-Rousse hospital in Lyon, Remande stayed at her parents home which is also in the French city.
Remande’s husband explained, “In the best case scenario, she may be able to see shapes after the bruising eases in a month or so.”
Immediately after the incident, U.S. Open Champion Koepka quickly apologized to Remande.
Despite her injury, the golf fan is quick to express her appreciation of the golfer’s gesture and said, “I tried to stay positive with him so that he didn’t lose his concentration, but once I was taken away, I didn’t hear anything from the organizers.”
Remande is now planning to sue the organizers and claims the officials failed to warn the crowd before the ball rocketed into the gallery.
“Quite clearly, there is responsibility on the part of the organizers. 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.”
The body which governs European golf, the EPGA, has stated it will “investigate” the incident, but it could “take some time.”