ERIN, Wis. – One of the biggest early storylines from the 117th U.S. Open didn’t come from the turf at Erin Hills, but from the air above it.
Several players paused during the opening round when an overhead blimp caught fire, crashed and eventually exploded a half mile away from the course. According to a statement from the USGA, the blimp was not affiliated with the USGA or the U.S. Open and the pilot, who parachuted out before the crash, was being treated for “unknown injuries.”
“I was teeing off and I looked up and saw it on fire, and I felt sick to my stomach.