2023 Masters: Trees Fall During Play at Augusta National
A scary incident happened during the 2023 Masters Tournament. Play was suspended at 4:22 p.m. local time on Friday after two pine trees fell near the 17th hole of the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The incident was captured during ESPN's live coverage of the tournament.
"I was sitting, looking, waiting for the next group to come up to the tee and it fell maybe 8-10 chairs to our left," said patron Megan Hill, of Manhattan, New York, per Golfweek. "I stood up and screamed and thought, 'Is it going to fall on me? It fell to the left of us and it was so scary. If the wind had been blowing a slightly different direction, we might have got hit."
Wild scene at The Masters today as an entire tree falls during play.
— Cam Gaskins (@CamGaskinsTV) April 7, 2023
Really hope nobody was hurt, play is currently suspended due to the weather in the area. pic.twitter.com/hINaL9mf6k
According to multiple reports, no one was injured during the incident. The grounds crew quickly arrived with chainsaws to clear the trees. An announcement was made from the clubhouse following the incident that said: "There are thunderstorms approaching the area with heavy winds and lightning. Play has been suspended." More rain and wind are expected in the area on Friday and Saturday.
The Masters is currently in the second round, and Brooks Koepka is in the lead. The 32-year-old has never won the Masters but finished tied for second in 2019, which is the same year he won the PGA Championship. Koepka has won four majors in his career, finishing first in the PGA Championship in 2018 and the U.S. Open in 2017 and 2018 along with his 2019 PGA Championship victory. He finished Round 2 of this year's Masters with 5-under 65 to move to 12 under after 36 holes.
"I don't even know if I should be saying this, but pretty sure I tried to break the back window with my fist," Koepka said Friday, per ESPN. "I tried to put it through the back window not once, but twice. First time didn't go, so figured I'd try it again. Yeah, it was a lot of frustration last year. Super annoying. The ride home was pretty silent. I think just a lot of frustration. But yeah, I guess Mercedes makes a pretty good back window." Koepka tied for the third-lowest 36-hile score to par in Masters history.