Teaming up with Shane Lowry, Brooks Koepka had just started the first round of the 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Minutes into the tournament, he was looking to find the fairway on the par-5 2nd hole. But the five-time major winner’s ball instead crashed into a spectator, causing a possible injury.

Brett Martel of Associated Press tweeted about the instance and shared that Brooks Koepka’s tee shot hit this woman’s lower leg. She had a bit of a welt but mostly appeared fine. The authorities were sending the EMS cart anyway.

The picture he attached to the tweet shows a woman sitting on the grass with several people surrounding her. She had a chair in front of her, and her left foot was raised, resting on it. There was no sign of Koepka or Lowry anywhere in the picture. But it can be assumed that they must have apologized to her before moving on.

Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time Koepka’s ball has slipped into uncharted territory. Back in 2018, he was involved in another incident where a fan was seriously injured. After missing the fairway, his ball directly hit a fan’s eye, and 49-year-old Corine Remande suffered a right-eye socket fracture. Four years after the incident, Koepka revealed that he still regretted causing the injury.

The 5x major winner isn’t always the one hurting spectators, though. At the Valspar Championship 2026, when a golf cart hit a little girl, Koepka ran over to her to comfort her. At the time, he was playing the par-3 15th hole.

Despite the hiccup, the stakes are high for Brooks Koepka going into the 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Brooks Koepka aims to claim his first victory since his PGA Tour return

This week, for the 5x major winner, is not just about winning the event or returning to form on the PGA Tour. He will earn huge exemptions that will justify his place in the Tour.

If Koepka and Shane Lowry lift the title on Sunday, then the former will earn his way into PGA Tour events instead of receiving special exemptions. He will secure a two-year membership with the PGA Tour. Moreover, the 35-year-old will also qualify for the signature events for the period.

Hence, Koepka’s intentions going into TPC Louisiana should be quite clear. After playing 9 holes, he and Lowry are sitting at 5-under par on Thursday. With three and a half rounds to go, their current position of T36 shouldn’t bother them right now. But if they want to win, then Koepka and Lowry better catch up to the top of the leaderboard as soon as possible.