Imagine you’re standing behind the ropes at a major championship, excited to watch the world’s best golfers. You’re thinking about wayward shots, maybe getting an autograph. The last thing on your mind? Getting taken out by a golf cart operated by the broadcast crew. Unfortunately, that nightmare became reality for one golf fan at the 2023 PGA Championship.

Lauren M. Lilley was standing along a rope line at Oak Hill Country Club on May 20, 2023, watching golfers during the championship. Suddenly, a golf cart operated by a CBS broadcast crew member struck her from behind. The impact pitched her over the rope and onto the course itself, as mentioned by WGRZ. The consequences were severe.

Lilley suffered a concussion with loss of consciousness, a herniated disc, and injuries to her neck, shoulder, and arm. She required surgery and continues to experience pain and permanent injuries. Her attorneys have now filed a lawsuit in Erie County seeking unspecified damages.

The case names six defendants: CBS Sports, CBS Broadcasting Inc., Robovision Inc., the PGA of America, PGA Tour Inc., and Oak Hill Country Club. This combination of broadcast companies, technology providers, and golf organizations creates multiple layers of potential liability.

Robovision Inc., which provides robotic camera technology for CBS golf broadcasts, represents the technical equipment side of tournament operations. The 2023 PGA Championship featured over 120 cameras and sophisticated equipment positioned throughout Oak Hill. While broadcast technology grows more refined, the legal framework protecting tournaments hasn’t kept pace with operational complexities.

Most golf spectator injury lawsuits involve one thing: golf balls. Courts have consistently applied the “assumption of risk” doctrine to protect golf organizations from injuries related to golf balls. The California Supreme Court established in Shin v. Ahn (2007) that spectators assume inherent risks when attending golf events.

However, golf cart accidents are subject to different legal standards. The assumption of risk doctrine typically protects tournaments from ball injuries because spectators knowingly accept that risk. Golf carts present a different scenario entirely.

How PGA Tour Legal Cases Differ for Golf Cart

Legal experts recognize that equipment accidents don’t fall under the same protective umbrella. When a golf ball strikes a spectator, courts generally rule that the spectator assumed that risk. Meanwhile, broadcast equipment accidents involve operational procedures rather than sport-inherent dangers.

The PGA Tour maintains specific golf cart safety protocols. These rules require moderate speeds equivalent to walking pace in congested areas. Operators must check surroundings before backing up, never exceed passenger capacity, and cannot operate during play. Drivers must be 18 or older with a valid license. Golf cart accidents send more than 15,000 people to emergency rooms annually, with incidents increasing by 130% since the 1990s.

This case raises questions about whether tournament organizers adequately protected spectators from operational hazards. Unlike ball injuries, cart accidents suggest potential protocol violations or safety measure gaps.

Golf organizations may face different liability considerations for equipment-related incidents. Broadcasting companies might need to evaluate safety protocols around spectator areas. The case highlights the complex intersection of media operations and spectator safety at professional tournaments.

What started as a routine championship viewing experience has become a legal case examining the boundaries between accepted golf risks and operational safety responsibilities.