News
Arkansas student impaled by golf club
Whatever snooty image the outside world conjures up for the game of golf, the sport tends to be pretty laid back. Self-deprecation, laughter and a slew of adult beverages are all usually a vital part of the experience.
But as has been recently noted, the amount of alcohol imbibed on the course can be dangerous, for physical and legal reasons.
And never forget that your equipment can serve as a weapon.
That is the case in Jonesboro, Ark., where an 18-year-old college student was impaled in the neck with a broken golf shaft last Tuesday.
Natalie Eaton, a freshman at Arkansas State University, was hanging out at a fraternity cookout when a most unlikely and unfortunate event occurred. One male student tossed a football to another male student, who decided to swing his golf club at the object like it was a baseball. On impact the shaft broke in two, and the lower part flew 30 feet into Eaton’s neck.
The 18-year-old was initially sent to a local hospital before being flown, via helicopter, to a hospital in Memphis, Tenn. She was listed in critical condition as late as Thursday with fears that she was facing paralysis.
Thankfully, matters turned for the better the next day. On Friday, Arkansasmatters.com posted that Eaton was awake and responsive and could feel both sides of her body. She was, however, extremely confused and did not remember the incident.
Eaton’s friend, Makaleigh Riddle, called the recovery a miracle, considering the doctors’ previous bleak prognostications on the paralysis front.
For now, it seems like a disaster has been avoided. The odds that a broken club could fly into a target of possibly paralysis or death (the spinal cord) are astronomical. A second student at the event, after all, was hit, but not seriously injured like Eaton.
Still, it pays to be careful. Golf clubs used improperly, broken or intact, can prove quite hazardous. Even a simple practice swing can lead to massive damage if you aren’t paying attention to your surroundings. The golf ball is no less a scourge either.
It’s all good to have fun, but remember the agony Eaton’s family must have felt while their faced immobilization or death before you do something blatantly irresponsible with golf equipment or on the golf course.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
jedidiah
Aug 29, 2014 at 9:14 am
i would
Tin Whistle
Aug 27, 2014 at 11:10 pm
What kind of club?
Is it on 2nd Swing yet?
Dave C.
Aug 27, 2014 at 12:46 pm
I used to play golf 30 years ago with a real jerk who would curse and throw clubs all the time. One day, he showed up with a cheap, new driver he had bought for $7. He hit a horrible tee shot, and immediately threw the club. The shaft shattered like it had been made of glass. No one was hurt, but I NEVER played golf with him again.
He had the cheek to send his wife back to the store for a refund, due to the club being “defective”. She got his money back.
Justin
Sep 1, 2014 at 7:54 pm
Knew a guy that did that. Didn’t matter, unless it was a perfect shot (which, for being a 100+ shooter, rarer than rare), the guy got pi$$ed and threw whatever was in hand. It got old, fast…
Desmond
Aug 27, 2014 at 1:36 am
Don’t do stupid things … think of the consequences beforehand
MattSihv
Aug 27, 2014 at 12:20 am
My wife went to A-State and this is her friend’s sister-in-law. She was just a kid at a college party. The story doesn’t mention that the kid who swung the club also saved her life. He thought quickly and was able to keep pressure on the wound..
Justin
Sep 1, 2014 at 7:55 pm
Still, it shouldn’t have gotten to that point.
bradford
Aug 26, 2014 at 1:44 pm
This article should be in the WITB section.
dot dot
Aug 26, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Now the guy has to complete the party with only 13 clubs. Tough break.
Gary Lewis
Aug 26, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Good to know. I think this kind of incident with golf clubs has resulted in at least a fatal incident or more. I heard a story of one golfer throwing a club after a bad shot, club hit a ball washer, broke and part of the shaft came back and hit the guy in the neck and killed him. I am not totally positive it is a true story but could happen. Safety always needs to be a priority everywhere and golf clubs are no exception.
Justin
Sep 1, 2014 at 8:00 pm
A cousin of my wife was killed by a golf club. He was swinging it, decided to hit a clothesline. The head and some of the shaft snapped off… the force of the swing and the way it broke caused the broken end to “wrap around” the post, leading to the kid to be impaled in the throat. You just never know, and responsibility isn’t always on the front of everyone’s mind…
Taylor Zalewski
Aug 26, 2014 at 10:58 am
What in the world does this article have to do with golf. I was in a fraternity and a lot of stupid stuff went down on a regular basis.
Trevor
Aug 26, 2014 at 10:56 am
Absolutely stupid article
Justin
Sep 1, 2014 at 8:01 pm
I’m sorry you’re not intelligent enough to realize the point.
Mike Honcho
Aug 26, 2014 at 10:44 am
Happened in Arkansas, ’nuff said.
rkristopher
Aug 26, 2014 at 10:57 am
Dumb comment.
Idiots are everywhere.
Joe Golfer
Aug 28, 2014 at 1:41 am
Totally agree with you, rkristopher.
It is amazing how many callous remarks about this tragedy have shown up in this forum post.
One person comments that the guy who swung the club will have to finish with 13 clubs now.
Another asks if the club is on 2nd Swing yet.
It’s sad that adults write such things.
I could understand if this was some YouTube music video site, as those are loaded with immature comments from youthful schoolkid commenters who are just acerbic or mean-spirited.
It’s nice to see someone call out those who post those extremely childish remarks.
There is NOTHING funny about a young girl almost being paralyzed in a tragic accident.
Joe Golfnerd
Aug 28, 2014 at 8:13 pm
well thank you mr. white knight; snore.
Xreb
Aug 31, 2014 at 12:24 pm
Compassion is what is lacking in people these days as all the callous posts above aptly demonstrate. Would any of any say these things if it were your wife or sister ?
MattSihv
Aug 27, 2014 at 12:26 am
Mikey, I find it pathetic that you would use an article about a tragedy to announce your idiocy to the internet. I live in Ar-Kansas now, and I’d be happy to compare my life to yours, ’nuff said.
leftright
Aug 29, 2014 at 8:18 am
I wish the country understood the Clinton’s are from Arkansas and then, maybe, Hillary would not be in the POTUS game. Half the people in America couldn’t tell where Arkansas is on a map. Progressives are destroying the country, the world and are responsible for much of golf’s demise over the past few years. I hope that young lady recovers and get’s back to normal.
Justin
Sep 1, 2014 at 8:05 pm
GTFOH with that BS. Really? This article is about a girl who was nearly paralyzed- or worse- and you bring this $hit here? Are you that stupid and uncaring?