The PGA has apologized after spectators in the gallery ran onto the 18th hole to swarm Phil Mickelson in the final moments of the PGA Championship at Kiawah on Sunday.
Mickelson, who captured his sixth career major at age 50, described the rush of fans as "unnerving," while runner-up Brooks Koepka, who was playing in Mickelson's group, expressed concern about protecting his knee after a recent surgery.
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On Monday, PGA CEO Seth Waugh issued a mea culpa for the mayhem.
"While we welcome enthusiastic fan engagement, we regret that a moment of high elation and pent-up emotion by spectators on the 18th hole during the conclusion of yesterday's historic PGA Championship briefly overwhelmed security, and made two players and their caddies feel vulnerable," Waugh said in a statement. "We always put player safety at the top of our list and are grateful that order was restored. I have spoken to both players and apologized on behalf of the Association."
Koepka, who was injured in a freak accident while on vacation, underwent surgery in March to repair his knee cap. He expressed admiration for Mickelson's feat -- he became the oldest player ever to win a major -- but said he couldn't properly congratulate him amid the chaos.
“It would have been cool if I didn’t have a knee injury,” Koepka said on Sunday. “I got dinged a few times in the knee in that crowd because no one really gave a shit, personally. But if I was fine, yeah, it would have been cool. It’s cool for Phil. But getting dinged a few times isn’t exactly my idea of fun.”
Koepka also said his caddie, Ricky Elliott, got "jammed" in the face by someone from the gallery.
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