A FEMALE golfer has apologised for an "inappropriate and distasteful" remark about the Clutha helicopter crash.

Sweden's Helen Alfredsson, who won 11 tournaments on the Ladies European Tour (LET) before retiring in September, was commentating on the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters yesterday when a helicopter flew overhead and she said that she hoped the pilots were "better" than in Scotland.

The 48-year-old issued a statement via the LET, which read: "Regretfully I made an inappropriate and distasteful comment on air today and apologise unreservedly for any offence that was caused by this mistake.

"I did not intend to hurt anybody and I am devastated if I have hurt anyone. I feel very embarrassed because this was not intended in any shape or form."

LET chief executive officer Ivan Khodabakhsh added: "Helen Alfredsson's comment on air was clearly careless but people who know Helen will realise that she would never have intended to hurt someone and I do not believe this was the case."