The mother of an Australian golfer was left in tears,and patrons and players at the US Masters were shocked,after three large trees fell near a small crowd at Augusta National,forcing play to be abandoned.
Amateur Harrison Crowe,playing his first Masters,and fellow Australian Min Woo Lee were stunned when the trees fell near the 17th tee,metres from where they were playing the 16th hole.
No fans were hurt in the incident on Saturday morning (AEST). However,dust from the bark covered Crowe’s father Tony,coach John Serhan and members of his support crew,who scrambled to safety.
“To see it literally unfolding is absolutely scary,” Crowe’s mother,Shaunaugh,said. “I got up to the clubhouse and I was in tears.
“I was with three people and we didn’t know where everyone else was. We didn’t see anyone until we got up there.
“Tony said he heard the crack and basically yelled at people,‘Get out of the way’. They were pretty close to it. They were close enough to get the backlash of the heavy dust off the tree. For me,as a mother watching that,I was so concerned for him.
“It was just one of those things you don’t think you’ll ever see,but we’re all OK.”
It forced Augusta National to abandon play during the second round and evacuate the course,with Crowe and Lee yet to finish the hole.