Horrifying moment a huge pine TREE falls next to patrons watching The Masters at Augusta National… as play is SUSPENDED amid electrical storms
Play was dramatically suspended at the Masters on Friday afternoon when two pine trees fell near the 17th tee.
Television footage captured the terrifying moment, which left commentators aghast.
The giant trees could be seen plunging to the ground, with an audible bang, as panicked spectators raced for cover.
The trees around that part of the course are believed to be Loblolly Pines, which can grow to 98–115 feet in height.
A video clip appeared to show a patron on the floor but officials were quick to insist that there were no injuries. There claims were backed up by witnesses, who said it was fortunate that tragedy was averted.
Incredible images show fans’ seats underneath the pine, but fortunately nobody was hurt
TV cameras at The Masters caught the terrifying moment a tree fell on patrons at Augusta
Officials tend to the fallen pine tree alongside the 17th tee after it fell during Friday’s play
Authorities investigate the scene where the tree fell alongside the 17th green at Augusta
Incredible images in the aftermath of the fall show fans’ chairs stuck underneath the pine as officials raced to clear the area.
At 4.22pm a klaxon sounded and play was suspended, with the course evacuated. A number of players, including second-placed Spaniard John Rahm and Tiger Woods, who was battling to avoid the cut, were out at the time during the second round of the prestigious tournament in Augusta, Georgia.
‘It sounded like a grandstand blew over, super loud,’ said Sergio Garcia, who was on the green at the 15th.
‘Two trees fell down from the roots and took another one on the way down. People scattered around them but there was one woman that the trees fell around her and somehow she didn’t get hurt. Thank God.’
The trees in question fell alongside the 17th tee box, around 100 yards from where the famous Eisenhower Tree was taken down, again due to a storm.
Megan Hill, of Manhattan, told local media she was close to the incident. ‘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,’ she said.
‘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.’
Deshey Thomas, from North Carolina, added: ‘Pinecones were hitting us in the back, we turned around and looked up and heard a huge cracking noise and the tree basically crushed 10 chairs that were sitting there.
Tree surgeons were quickly on the scene, but it is currently unclear if anyone was hurt
The horrific moment occurred shortly before play was suspended due to electrical storms
Patrons leave the course carrying umbrellas after the horn sounded to suspend play
Fans were quickly evacuated and work began to clear the fallen trees from around the course
‘Luckily we got everyone out of there. We were blessed.’
Officials with saws were quickly at the scene as they sought to remove the trees.
Earlier in the day play was halted for 21 minutes as a storm rolled through the area. At the time when the trees fell it was breezy, but winds were not strong.
Augusta National has been contacted for comment.