It’s a risk you take when you attend a golf tournament. A stray drive or a wayward approach shot might brush your hand or drop near you. But few actually bargain for what a fan endured during the third round of the Cadillac Championship

A fan was walking outside the ropes by the second fairway. Nick Taylor had just blasted a 295-yard drive from the tee box. The shot went way right, veered toward the rough, and smacked the young man right on his arm. Mind you, the ball didn’t bounce before hitting him. The cameras caught him jumping, grimacing, and clutching his elbow in pain. “Boy, did that hurt,” the Golf Channel broadcaster said as the fan was seen almost crouching down.

It did hurt. The Golf Channel cameraman walked up to the spectator, and the extent of the injury was evident. There was a nasty red bump right on the spot where the ball hit. The commentator also noted that the ball had left a mark and then quipped you can tell what golf ball Taylor was playing from the mark. A fan from the side said, “Damn man, that’s a bad one.” It was bad indeed, but the fan should still thank Nick Taylor for one simple reason.

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A PGA Tour pro averages around 174.89 MPH ball speed, with long hitters like Gary Woodland, Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young (who was Taylor’s playing partner on Saturday), and others routinely topping 180 MPH. Nick Taylor, by comparison, averages about 170 MPH ball speed. So, in case it was Young who sprayed his drive and smacked the fan, the injury could’ve been considerably worse. While the fan might still be nursing the pain, for Nick Taylor, that was a lucky break.

The Canadian saved par on the hole, largely thanks to the spectator, whose arm seemed to have stopped the ball from veering further away from the fairway. Taylor was not having a throwaway round, either. He opened with a birdie and was looking to close in on Cameron Young. Taylor made a birdie on the third hole as well; however, he lost the momentum thereafter.

Two more bogeys and a double later, Taylor finished at even-par, seven shots behind 54-hole leader Cameron Young. Notably, during Round 2, Nick Taylor needed an on-course physiotherapy session after suffering from back issues mid-round. It didn’t help him entirely, though, but the moment caught a lot of attention.

As for the incident at the Cadillac Championship, it wasn’t clear if Nick Taylor offered a signed glove or a signed ball to the fan. Taylor didn’t appear for the media interview after the round. The PGA Tour hasn’t offered an update yet. However, not just spectators, players have endured serious injuries after getting hit by stray shots from fellow pros as well.

Getting hit by a golf ball is becoming a recurring problem

Jeffery Guan, a two-time Australian amateur champion, faced a career-threatening injury when a wayward shot hit him in the eye. Guan was ready to hit his own drive at the Pro-Am when the incident happened. He lost vision in one eye, but has made a comeback to professional golf.

Travis Kelce hit a woman named Edenne Flinn in the head with his drive on the 18th hole of the 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. It was at least the fourth time in the last two years alone that Kelce had hit a fan. Even world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler couldn’t escape it. His tee shot at the 16th hole at The American Express hit a fan square in the head.

Very few can forget what happened at the 2018 Ryder Cup. Brooks Koepka’s errant drive hit a spectator right in her eye. She lost her vision on the right eye. Jon Rahm’s errant approach at the 2025 PGA Championship hit a fan in the head, the ball bouncing across the green. Quietly, Rahm then handed over a signed glove that has become the standard post-incident gesture.

This series of incidents highlights that despite having volunteers on the course, it’s not always possible to avoid untoward scenarios like this. However, a safe distance from the fairway should be maintained at all costs.