Brooks Koepka Assists Child Injured by Golf Cart at Valspar Event

A young girl was hit and subsequently found trapped beneath a golf cart during the 2026 Valspar Championship in Florida.

“Brooks Koepka went under the ropes to speak with the girl and offer her comfort,” reported on-course reporter and former PGA Tour champion Smylie Kaufman on Saturday, March 21, near the 15th hole during the second round at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club (Copperhead Course) in Palm Harbor, Florida.

“It was a very frightening moment… I’m sure Brooks Koepka’s heart is still racing a bit,” Kaufman continued.

The child was promptly evaluated by the tournament’s medical team, who confirmed that she did not suffer any injuries. The vehicle was reportedly “transporting fans around the course when the incident occurred,” according to the Golf Channel.

“She’s OK, thankfully; that’s all that truly matters,” Koepka stated to reporters following the incident, after finishing Saturday’s round. “I can imagine she’s a little scared, and I felt for her at that moment.”

The professional golfer added, “It’s unfortunate and shouldn’t have occurred. But as long as she’s fine — and nothing serious happened to her — then it’s all good.”

The child’s identity has not been disclosed.

A representative for the Valspar Championship confirmed the occurrence, stating that the young girl was not seriously harmed by what they labeled as a “slow-moving” vehicle.

“After a few tense moments, it was confirmed that she had not suffered any serious injuries. Following her mother’s apology, she left on her own with her family and, to our knowledge, did not need any further medical assistance beyond what she quickly received on-site,” the spokesperson stated. “Professionals Brooks Koepka and Danny Walker did an admirable job in alerting help and providing comfort and support. Play was paused at the hole for about five minutes.”

In the aftermath of the tense situation, Koepka recorded a double-bogey on the par-4 16th hole, which placed him seven shots behind leading golfer Sungjae Im.

“I’m quite a ways back. It would have been nice to stay at 6,” Koepka remarked about his Saturday performance, according to Golf. “I need to shoot a really low score tomorrow.”

When asked if he thought the incident affected his performance, Koepka replied with a no.

“Not in terms of golf, no,” he responded.