Two people in hospital after lightning strike near PGA tournament course

Two people in hospital after lightning strike near PGA tournament course

NEW YORK, June 23, 2024 (BSS/AFP) – Two people were hospitalized on Saturday after a lightning strike near a home at TPC River Highlands, the venue for the US PGA Tour Travelers Championship, local fire officials said.

A press release from the Cromwell Fire Department said police in the Connecticut town received emergency calls about a lightning strike at a home near the golf course’s fifth green at around 4:26 p.m., about an hour after play was suspended due to thunderstorms in the area.

“Upon arrival, rescuers found a tree struck by lightning and three patients near the point of impact,” the press release said. Emergency personnel “treated two patients who were transported to area hospitals for further evaluation and one patient who refused treatment.”

On Saturday, the tournament was interrupted for almost three hours. On Friday, the games had already been interrupted for three hours and 14 minutes due to bad weather.

South Korean Tom Kim had a one-stroke lead after 54 holes of the tournament, the last of the PGA Tour’s elite signature events this season.