Lightning strike leaves at least 5 injured at PGA tournament in Atlanta
Five people were injured Saturday when lightning struck a 60-foot pine at the Tour Championship, showering the area with debris, Atlanta police said. The third round of the season-ending PGA Tour event was suspended for about 30 minutes because of storms in the area, and fans were instructed to seek shelter.
The strike hit the top of the tree just off the 16th tee shortly before 5 p.m., shattering the bark all the way to the bottom.
The Atlanta Fire Department told CBS News that four adults and one female juvenile who had sought shelter beneath the tree were injured. All five were taken to hospitals for further treatment, all of them alert, conscious and breathing.
Ambulances streamed into the private club about 6 miles east of downtown Atlanta, where 30 players are competing for the FedEx Cup and its $15 million prize. The players already had been taken into the clubhouse before lightning hit, and before long East Lake was hit with a ground-shaking clap of thunder.
The PGA Tour canceled the rest of golf Saturday, with the round to resume at 8 a.m. Sunday, followed by the final round.