Fan struck by Travis Kelce's golf ball recounts incident: "There was a lot of blood"

Katie Hauss, a fan attending the American Century Championship, was struck in the head by a golf ball hit by Travis Kelce. 

The incident occurred on Friday, July 12, as she enjoyed the event with her husband, Ryan Griffiths.

"When I got hit, I immediately felt pain," Hauss, 37, told PEOPLE exclusively. "I was just trying to focus on not blacking out, and at that point, I didn’t really know what had happened." 

Hauss described the shock and confusion, recalling, "I then heard people start yelling and screaming that it was Travis Kelce’s golf shot."

Despite the pain, Hauss tried to remain calm, telling her husband she thought she was okay. However, when she touched the back of her head, she found "a lot of blood." 

A Good Samaritan, possibly a doctor or first responder, quickly applied pressure to the wound and called for EMTs. "I am just so appreciative to that man for helping me, a complete stranger," Hauss expressed.

The ball that struck Hauss was hit by the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce, who was at the event with his brother Jason. The couple had travelled to Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course to see the celebrity golfers. 

"I go up every year for the tournament. Celebrity golf is something we always look forward to attending," Hauss said.

Kelce and his brother immediately approached Hauss after the incident. "Travis must have walked down as I was still on the ground," she recalled. 

He asked if she was okay and suggested they take a photo together, despite feeling bad about the accident. Jason Kelce was also "genuinely concerned" and checked on her multiple times.

EMTs arrived and found that Hauss's head was split open. She was taken to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a concussion and received stitches. 

Reflecting on the incident a week later, Hauss, a professional horseback rider, said, "This week was a bit touch and go, but as of today I’m feeling much better and on the mend!"

Hauss also mentioned a pre-tournament joke from the New Heights podcast where Travis said, "Don't feel bad if you hit somebody because they bought the ticket." 

She remarked, "I’m sure they never imagined that someone would actually get hurt when they said those things."