Hideki Matsuyama rushes to the crowd after his drive hits a fan in the face at WM Phoenix Open

The 2024 WM Phoenix Open had multiple accidents on Thursday. One of them saw a wayward drive by Hideki Matsuyama hitting a fan in the face. The Japanese golfer's errant drive blasted through the trees along the 11th fairway and went into the crowd. A fan named Alyssia Hernandez tried to duck for cover but got hit in the face.

The incident during Friday’s second round of the WM Phoenix Open. Hernandez heard screams of ‘Fore!’ but it was too late. The hit destroyed her glasses and caused some cuts along the bridge of her nose and her right eyebrow. Notably, Matsuyama was quick to respond. The 2021 Masters champion rushed into the crowds and found Hernandez.

Ducking under the ropes and running into the stands, Matsuyama asked the fans:

“Who did I hit?”

Interestingly, Hernandez knew the cameras were following her after the hit. She tried to escape from the screens with the cuts. However, she failed, and the fan said:

“I was sneaking away, and then he (Matsuyama) came up and was trying to find me.”

Matsuyama had a word and even posed for a photograph at her request. The two-time Phoenix Open winner also signed a glove for the injured fan. The Nebraska native continued at her seat wearing her husband’s glasses and holding an ice bag, before heading for the medical tent a while later.

Hernandez jokingly said that she might not return to the Phoenix Open after the accident. Notably, Matsuyama ended the round on Friday at T18.

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Fan suffers ‘non-life threatening’ injuries after a fall at WM Phoenix Open's 16th hole

In an unrelated incident, a woman fell from the stands during the second round of the 2024 WM Phoenix Open on Sunday. The PGA Tour released a statement after Friday’s round, detailing the incident. According to the circuit’s release, the fan suffered ‘non-life threatening’ after falling from the grandstands on the par-3 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale. The specific location of the incident wasn’t revealed.

The PGA Tour statement read as quoted by Golfweek:

“Today at the WM Phoenix Open, a fan sustained non-life-threatening injuries after a fall at the 16th hole. Scottsdale fire and bike team paramedics reacted quickly at the scene to give the injured fan immediate medical attention and then provided safe transport to a local medical center for further evaluation."

The WM Phoenix Open works closely with local law enforcement, fire and medical organizations and the PGA Tour to strategically place emergency units throughout tournament grounds to promptly address health and safety situations,” it added.

The PGA Tour also noted that it will “provide additional details if or when appropriate.” It cleared that the decision to keep the fan’s details confidential was made “out of respect for medical privacy.”