Bryson DeChambeau speaks out after Major winner kicked out of Masters | Golf | Sport
Bryson DeChambeau during Masters practice. (Image: Getty Images)
Augusta National is renowned for its strict regulations, but one of the most celebrated was flouted on Tuesday by a major champion. Mark Calcavecchia was ejected from the Masters venue after being caught using his mobile phone. The club’s stringent no-phones policy is a cornerstone of what makes the Masters so unique – no ringtones, selfies or devices to distract spectators from the action on the course.
The 1989 Open Championship winner at Royal Troon was swiftly removed after security staff spotted him with his phone. There was no room for negotiation, and the 65-year-old was promptly escorted off the premises. “I’ve got nothing negative to say about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters, so I think we should literally hang up right now,” he said about the contentious incident.
Over recent days, several players have been quizzed on the policy, with many voicing their wholehearted approval.
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Bryson DeChambeau was among those in favour, saying: “Yeah. I think it’s great. No doubt, the history is so respected here, and albeit we have to have certain types of communication. We adhere to the rules as much as we can and we abide by them as much as we can.
“I think the most important thing is respecting the tradition and the honour and integrity in this new modern social media world.
“It’s funny, I think Augusta is quite tech savvy to be honest everything what I’ve seen and what they’ve done with the place and what they have for the patrons on the range and people on TV, patrons watching on TV is really cool, all the graphics they have. So they’re quite tech savvy, I must say but it’s fun be and nice to go back where we’re more focused on human interaction.”
Mark Calcavecchia was escorted off the property (Image: Getty Images)
He added: “I do find a bit of nostalgic having people watch through their eyes rather than through a phone. It is cool. There’s more of this presence. I feel like there’s a bigger buzz because of it.”
Two-time champion Scottie Scheffler was also quizzed on the matter, stating: “The practice rounds are very peaceful. There’s no phones. There’s no people asking for selfies in the middle of the round. It’s very calm out there, and people follow the rules here.
“For us as players, it’s really an enjoyable experience, just how things are organised. You’ve got the kids autograph area by the range. There’s no adults sneaking in there. Everybody’s afraid to break the rules. Augusta’s put some rules in place that make this not only a special experience for us, but a special experience for the patrons as well.”
Ludvig Aberg, widely tipped as a potential first-time major winner this week, believes the strict regulations enable spectators to appreciate the sport in a whole new light.
“It’s very different,” he said. “It’s very different because a normal tournament seems like there’s a lot of phones up. You want to take videos and pictures and keep up with the scores.
“That’s very different here. It feels like the fans are a little bit more engaged in the golf. They’re a little bit more attuned to what’s going on. It’s a cool environment to play. It feels like good golf shots are being appreciated in a different way. And it’s also quite nice to just leave your phone somewhere.”
This article first appeared on Mirror US.
