On Thursday, ESPN’s Sage Steele was hit in the face by a Jon Rahm tee shot at the PGA Championship and she was reportedly covered in blood as a result. Geoff Shackelford of The Quadrilateral reported that an eyewitness “saw her on the ground, holding her nose, mouth or chin area” and that her hands were “covered in blood.”
Steele received medical attention locally, then traveled home to Connecticut for further treatment. On Saturday, she offered a statement of appreciation for those who had sent her support:
“I just want to thank everyone for your concerns and prayers during the last couple of days,” Steele said in her statement. “From the doctors, nurses and EMTs at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, to my doctor and dentist here in Connecticut, and my co-workers at ESPN, I am so grateful. With the help of my team, I hope to recover quickly for my three kids, and get back to work. Looking forward to seeing everyone again soon.”
“I was standing behind the tee when Rahm hit a hard hook into the left trees,” Shackelford wrote. “He immediately yelled ‘Fore Left!’ and aggressively waved his arm pointing left,” he wrote. “The impact must have been brutal: Rahm’s tee shot ended up in the center of the fairway.”
The New York Post reported that Steele was at the tournament working for ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and done with work for the day, and watching golf from the gallery as a spectator when she was struck.
Rahm finished the first round 3 over par. He registered two birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey.
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We wish Steele all the best as she recovers.
