Overview
- Chris Schiavone was struck while filming at Pebble Creek Golf Course on Aug. 7, suffering a blow to his arm that knocked him down and left him with temporary loss of feeling and hearing before he began recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.
- The cellphone clip of the strike went viral, drawing millions of views and thousands of comments as viewers noted the man was sheltering under a tree and near an umbrella when the bolt hit.
- Meteorologist Matt Devitt shared the video publicly and said he spoke with Schiavone, who described himself as 'unbelievably lucky' and confirmed he is recovering.
- The National Weather Service warns lightning can strike miles from a storm and advises people to seek a substantial building or a hard‑topped vehicle as soon as they hear thunder, while National Lightning Safety Council data show nearly half of golf-related lightning deaths from 2006–2023 involved people sheltering under trees.
- Experts say golf courses raise risk because of open terrain, metal clubs and carts that can conduct electricity, and the viral footage is likely to prompt renewed safety reminders for players and organizers to leave the course at the first sound of thunder.