A GOLFER died of multi-organ failure due to oxygen deprivation of the brain 10 days after he was struck by lightning, a coroner's court heard on Tuesday.
Mr Soh Lye Huat, a garment company owner, was golfing with three others at Tanah Merah Country Club at Changi Coast Road last Oct 25 when the incident happened.
The four had reached the 17th hole at about 9.55am that day when they saw flashes of lightning and heard thunder roaring.
As there was no siren for the lightning alert from the club, they decided to finish the 17th hole before ending their game.
Shortly after Mr Soh had putted at the 17th hole, his friends heard a loud 'bang' and were thrown to the ground.
When they recovered, they found the 57-year-old lying with his face down, and blood oozing from his mouth. His eyes were closed, and the rear part of his cap was shredded.
Two of his friends, together with golf marshals of TMCC, performed CPR on Mr Soh, whose pulse could not be detected. An ambulance rushed him to Changi General Hospital where he remained unconscious until his death on Nov 4.
Defibrillator not used
At the inquest, the family's lawyer Wendell Wong asked if the club had a standard operating procedure when it came to lightning incidents.
The investigation officer, Senior Staff Sergeant Andrew Ng, from Bedok, said he was told by the golf manager that there was but was not shown the SOP.
Asked if he knew whether the automated external defibrillator was used at the scene, the officer said according to Mr Soh's golf mates, they were not.
State Coroner Kessler Soh adjourned the inquiry to another day.
