ESPN anchor Sage Steele is out of the hospital and back home, after a poorly hit tee shot by Jon Rahm struck her in the face during the opening round of the US PGA Championship at Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The New York Post reported Steele was in the credentialed media area of the gallery, when Rahm's drive on the third hole went way left and into the crowd. A golf writer on the scene reported Steele was "on the ground, holding her nose, mouth or chin area", and that blood covered her hands.
The Post said she walked off on her own, but was hospitalised and has since returned home to Connecticut to continue her recovery.
After hitting the drive, Rahm yelled "fore left".
Both Rahm and the ESPN announcers were reportedly unaware that the ball had hit anyone. It travelled 281 yards at a speed of 181 mph (291 kph), but bounced back into the fairway, after striking Steele.
An ESPN representative declined The Post's request for a comment and Steele, 49, has not discussed the incident on her social media.
She was at Southern Hills Country Club at Tulsa to anchor SportsCenter on site.
Steele, who has been with ESPN since 2007, sued the network last month. She contends she was suspended, after making comments about the company's vaccine mandate on the podcast of former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler.
Reuters.
