Terrifying scenes as wild weather causes trees to be uprooted at the Masters, play suspended
There have been terrifying scenes at the Masters after wild weather caused multiple trees to be uprooted with the play eventually suspended for the day.
Players and spectators were left running for cover when the trees fell near the 17th tee. Incredibly no one was hurt in the incident.
Three trees collapsed to the turf, with two uprooted while one other snapped halfway up the trunk.
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The Augusta National suspended play for the second time in the day just moments after the frightening incident.
Officials called play shortly after the three trees crashed to the turf near the 17th tee Patrick Smith via Getty Images
"We were cresting the fairway on 15. We thought it was a scoreboard or a grandstand," said Sahith Theegala, who is playing in his first Masters. "We were hoping it wasn't something that hit anybody."
Everyone escaped harm, but the close call was evidenced by several crushed chairs beneath the fallen pines.
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"I was talking to friends next to me and all of sudden we heard a crack," said Katie Waites, a patron from Charleston, South Carolina. "And there were three trees across the pond, and all of a sudden we saw them falling and everybody — it was just like ants. They were like, scattering just like ants from beneath. All three fell at the same time. And then I just grabbed my friends' hands we were like, 'Is everyone OK?' And it was silent."
Waites said she saw one woman standing between the two fallen trees, and she had heard that a man had crawled out from beneath some of the limbs. She added that it was "absolutely a miracle" that nobody was hurt.
Signage that reads 'Play Suspended' due to weather on the leaderboard during the second round Andrew Reddington via Getty Images
"Then the alarms went off and they evacuated again because of weather," Waites said. "I called my dad. He's a judge. And he said this time they are not going to open it back up. Get out of there now."
Australian amateur Harrison Crowe and world No.48 Min Woo Lee were less than 50 metres away from the collapse, putting on the 16th green.
American star Brooks Koepka topped the leaderboard at 12-under when play was called.
Koepka currently leads Spain's Jon Rahm (-9) and American amateur Sam Bennett (-8) who round out the top three on the leaderboard.
Jason Day (-5) currently leads all Australians in equal sixth place, with Adam Scott in 10th position (-4).
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Tournament officials returned to the course with chainsaws after players and fans were evacuated from the area.
The Augusta National has confirmed that play will resume at 8am local time on Saturday morning (10pm AEST).
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