Just a regular practice round at Augusta National Golf Club. Nothing to see here beyond some professional golfers absolutely blowing our minds with how they can lackadaisically, seemingly break the laws of physics.
Bubba Watson and Danny Willett skipped balls over the water and onto the 16th green at Augusta
It’s a practice round tradition.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
The 16th hole at Augusta is one of the most famous holes in golf, and the par-3 sets up for some fun during the practice round for two former Masters champions. Bubba Watson did his thing with a driver:
And last year’s champ, Danny Willett, joined Tyrrell Hatton to do it in sync:
The practice round hijinks go back to the 1980s, and Davis Love III found out that it’s essentially a faux pas not to do it, despite the gentile atmosphere surrounding the Masters.
“I didn’t think it was in the tradition of the Masters,” Love said. “Then I started getting booed.”
Indeed, this is the one spot where the patrons, who are expected to be on their best behavior most of the week, can let down their hair just a bit. Not to say the heckling approaches anything you might hear coming from the bleachers at Yankee Stadium, but no one will be thrown off the grounds if they direct a hearty catcall at anyone who refuses to take part.
Former champion Vijay Singh did it to particularly dramatic effect in 2009 when he aced the hole during some practice round fun.
We’ll have to keep waiting for one of these guys to do it in the real tournament though.
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