People take advantage of sunshine and warm weather to play golf at Ballyowen Golf Club Saturday, April 14, 2018.

The father of a golfer killed in a lightning strike is accusing the golf course of failing to take the safety of his son and other golfers into consideration during a tournament in July.

Franklin Lakes resident Scott Mariani and his 28-year-old son, Simon, were playing in a tournament on July 8 at Ballyowen Golf Club in Hardyston Township, New Jersey, when Simon was struck by lightning. He died less than a week later.

Mariani has filed a lawsuit in state Superior Court against Wild Turkey Golf Club, OT, LLC; Crystal Springs Resort Development, LLC; and Ballyowen's Director of Golf Mark Melillo, General Manager Bill Polchinski and Assistant Manager Christian Dunphy.

A call to Crystal Springs Resort for comment was not immediately returned.

The suit says the weather conditions on the day of the tournament "included atmospheric conditions, including lightning."

The lawsuit says Simon Mariani and his father "paid a significant entry fee" to participate in the tournament.

It says the defendants had a duty to the tournament participants to maintain weather and lightning monitoring systems and lightning warning protocols to ensure the safety of all participants. The suit accuses the golf course and its supervisors of negligence and failing to implement emergency policies and protocols.

The lawsuit says Simon Mariani suffered "severe pain, anguish and fear of impending death" before he died.

Scott Mariani was made the administrator of his son's estate and said he suffered "severe and foreseeable emotional distress" at witnessing his son being struck by lightning, as well as monetary damages as a result of his son's death.

The suit also accuses the golf course and managers of willfully and wantonly disregarding the dangers of lightning and failing to enforce or have safety protocols. Scott Mariani is seeking damages, interest, attorney's fees and costs of the suit.

Simon Mariani had graduated in 2024 with a master's in finance from the University of Notre Dame. He was working as an associate at MTS Health Partners in New York City at the time of his death, his obituary said. The obituary said he enjoyed being around family, liked to paint, do photography and bake, and was an avid outdoorsman, participating in a plethora of activities in addition to golf.

"Simon's love for his family, career, the outdoors and sports reflected his zest for life," his obituary said. "Simon had the heart of a champion."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Father sues over son's death from lightning strike at golf event

Reporting by Kaitlyn Kanzler, NorthJersey.com / NorthJersey.com

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