Young Girl Struck, Run Over by a Golf Cart at Valspar Championship: 'It Shouldn't Have Happened,' Golfer Brooks Koepka Says
Brooks Koepka Credit: Valspar Championship/Instagram; James Gilbert/Getty NEED TO KNOW A young girl was struck and run over by a golf cart at the 2026 Valspar Championship The incident took place during the golf tournament in Palm Harbor, Fla. , on March 21 "It's unfortunate. It shouldn't have happened," golfer Brooks Koepka said A young girl was run over by a golf cart at the 2026 Valspar Championship.
The child was struck and pinned under the golf cart near the 15th hole during the second day of the golf tournament in Palm Harbor, Fla. , on Saturday, March 21, Golf Channel reported. PGA Tour winner Smylie Kaufman reported on the incident as he was covering Brooks Koepka and Danny Walker during a third round at the Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course.
Brooks Koepka playing during the third round of the 2026 Valspar Championship on March 21 Credit: James Gilbert/Getty As medical staff tended to the child, Koepka, 35, also rushed over to her, according to the Golf Channel. “Brooks Koepka went underneath the ropes to talk to the girl and comfort her,” Kaufman, 34, said. “She’s going to be okay after medical evaluation.
" "[It was a] very scary moment ... I am sure Brooks Koepka’s head is still spinning a little bit," he added. The identity and age of the child struck has not been shared publicly.
The golf cart that hit the young girl was transporting spectators around the course when the incident occurred, per the Golf Channel. The child wasn’t seriously injured, Golfweek reported. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.