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- Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama hit a fan with an errant drive during a tournament last weekend.
- Competing in the Shriners Children's Open, Matsuyama's drive left the fan with a bloody head wound.
- The fan, who needed six stitches, was philosophical about the accident, telling the golfer, "it happens."
A rogue drive from Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama cracked into a spectator's head and left the fan with a bloody, gruesome wound.
Matsuyama was taking part in the Shriners Children's Open in Las Vegas last week when a wayward tee shot found its way into the crowd, hitting a fan directly in the forehead.
In video posted to Twitter from the scene, Matsuyama can be seen apologizing to the fan, who has a significant amount of blood running down his face and onto his shirt.
"Don't worry Hideki, it's an accident. It happens. It's the, you know, it's part of the game," the fan, who sounds dazed, can be heard saying.
"Don't worry about it, don't let it bother you. Keep going," he says to Matsuyama, who appears shaken by the incident.
"My mom always told me I had a hard head," the man then jokes.
Video from the scene, taken by fellow spectator Britton Green, can be seen below:
-Britton Green (@BrittonGreen3) October 9, 2021
The fan, named as Robert by celebrity news site TMZ later told the outlet that he felt "weird" and "totally disorientated" after the hit.
After apologizing, Matsuyama gave the fan a signed glove, writing "I'm sorry!!" above his signature.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
TMZ reports that the fan was taken to hospital, and needed six stitches to close the wound. It added that he believes he could now face medical bills of up to $15,000 over the hospital visit.
A GoFundMe page has been set up under the fan's name, although Insider has not independently verified its legitimacy.
After the incident, 29-year-old Matsuyama, who became the first ever Japanese major winner at Augusta in April this year, returned to the course to finish 67th with a score of four-under-par