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The Valspar Championship had a stoppage in play on Saturday when a young girl was hit by a golf cart, and Brooks Koepka, back on the PGA Tour after defecting to LIV Golf, sprang into action.
Koepka was spotted running over to the girl to comfort her after she ended up underneath the golf cart, which was moving around spectators. At the time, Koepka was playing the par 3 15th hole.
NBC Sports broadcaster Dan Hicks said the girl ended up under the golf cart, but did not suffer serious injury.
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Brooks Koepka of the United States reacts on the fifth green during the third round of the Valspar Championship 2026 at Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club on March 21, 2026 in Palm Harbor, Florida. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
“She’s going to be OK after medical evaluation,” walking reporter Smylie Kaufman said over the air. “Very scary moment.”
Koepka, who heads into the final round on Sunday tied for 13th with a 5-under score, spoke about the incident after his Saturday round.
“I just felt terrible for, I believe her name is Shay, so from all the reports you’ve got she’s OK, thankfully,” Koepka said, according to Golf.com. “So, that’s all that matters, as long as she’s OK.”
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Koepka added that he thought she was “probably a little scared.”
“I just felt for her at the time. So, it’s unfortunate, it shouldn’t have happened, but as long as she’s OK, no, nothing crazy happened to her, then it will be OK.”
Koepka said the moment didn’t affect him once he got back to play on the course.
Brooks Koepka of the United States looks on from the sixth tee during the third round of the Valspar Championship 2026 at Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club on March 21, 2026 in Palm Harbor, Florida. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
The five-time major championship winner made headlines when he reached an agreement with the PGA Tour to return after defecting to LIV Golf after more than four years with the Saudi-backed rival tour. At the time, Koepka cited more family time as a key factor to his decision to get out of his LIV Golf deal.
“Brooks has felt over the years that the travel being so intense and so international that it kept him away from his family, and I think as time went on, he longed to spend more time with his family and be closer to the U.S.,” Freedman, a co-founder of Liner Freedman Taitelman + Cooley LLP, told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
LIV Golf has had tour stops in Australia, Singapore and other places around the world.
Freedman also praised the PGA Tour for welcoming Koepka back with semi-open arms.
Brooks Koepka of the United States looks on from the sixth tee during the third round of the Valspar Championship 2026 at Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club on March 21, 2026 in Palm Harbor, Florida. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
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“I think the reaction was really positive. It’s great. The PGA has been wonderful, they welcomed him back. There are certainly restrictions that he has, and he’ll abide by them. “But I think they have been incredible in the way in which they have welcomed him back,” Freedman explained. “I think he’s really excited. I think he’s excited to make amends with the players and do his best to just kind of be a golfer among golfers, as a worker among workers, and really go in there and be humble and walk in with the humility and the grace that Brooks walks around with.”
In his four events thus far this season, Koepka has one top-10 and two top-25 finishes, making three of four cuts in a successful return to the PGA Tour.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
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