Australian golfer Harrison Crowe’s fear as trees fell just 50 metres away from him at the Masters
Australian amateur golfer Harrison Crowe has described the terrifying moment when three trees fell just 50 yards away from him at the Augusta National during the second round of the Masters.
Augusta National confirmed no one was injured in the incident, which took place on a day when play was halted twice due to inclement weather.
Crowe, who was followed by an army of friends and family during the first two rounds of the US Masters, was standing on the 16th green when the trees fell.
“We heard – we looked at everything. It just started to crackle and then it came down. It was scary,” Crowe said.
‘She [Crowe’s supporters] were on the other side, so that was lucky,” Crowe said.
“Nobody got hurt anyway, so that was good.”
Crowe has described the scary moment when a large tree came crashing down just 50 yards from where he was standing at the Masters
The terrifying incident left his mother Shaunaugh Crowe shaken.
“My heart was in my throat,” she told AAP.
“First you heard this almighty bang. I looked back and saw this big tree fall over, then you see it fall on another tree, then another one and my first comment was, “F**k.”
‘Because there were people sitting there and I didn’t know where everyone was – and Tony and the boys were 10 meters from where it happened.
So they didn’t really see it — they heard it.
“Everyone just yells because it’s like, ‘This didn’t happen.’
“Everything just stopped.”
Crowe’s coach and caddy John Serhan said it was a miracle no one was killed.
“Tony was 20 yards away. I am myself. You felt it down there. This little tornado whipped up. It didn’t take long, but he grabbed those trees,’ he said.
You could see them starting to wave. They were lucky that no one was killed. Very, very lucky.’
A member of the Augusta National Golf Club looks over a fallen tree on the 17th hole that players and spectators just missed
The trees fell during a storm causing the second round to be suspended for the safety of players and fans
Crowe’s father said he saw the tree fall “in slow motion.”
“The worst part was when all the guards said afterwards you had to get off because more trees would fall,” he said.
Serhan’s son Joseph said the terrifying ordeal began as Crowe’s group approached the 16th green.
“We have a huge gust of sand and dirt in our face,” he said.
“We thought ‘here we go’. As soon as we got into the open air, the wind picked up and we could literally hear this creak.
“We all put our hands on our heads and heard a bunch of people screaming. There were about 50 people seated and it literally dropped where people were sitting in their seats.
“People were falling out of their chairs onto the floor and scrambling to get away. From where we were, we thought for sure they would get hit. You had zero chance.
“There was a lady who completely froze. The trees fell perfectly between her – there was a gap of about three feet on either side of her.”
Officials at the Masters are taking control of the situation, directing crowds and players away from the fallen trees
Crowe’s mother praised Masters officials for their quick response.
“You just saw green coats. Everyone showed up in under two seconds,” she said.
“Then the guard called out and said, ‘No one was hurt,’ because to see that, we thought someone had just been killed.
“No kidding, I looked at Harrison and he was on the green and he put his hand over his mouth as if to say, ‘Oh no.’
“I had to get up and ask Harrison if he was okay.
“By the time I got to the clubhouse I was in tears.
“I ended up getting my asthma spray because, seriously, I couldn’t handle it.”
The young golfer previously went viral for a golf video in which he landed an illegal shot from a Scottish pub on the 18th green in St Andrews.
The video made him a global sensation and Crowe earned a spot in both the US Masters and the British Open.
After winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship on Sunday, Crowe will play The Open in St Andrews in 2023.
Crowe’s final round of 72 at Thailand’s Amata Spring Country Club sealed the win.
‘It means so much. I came here this week with something to prove, and I’m just really proud of myself for the way I handled myself on and off the track,” he said at the time.
A large tree lies on the ground near the 17th tee during a weather suspension in the second round of the Masters
It wasn’t just Crowe who had a lucky escape, with a small army of supporters also following him around the famous Augusta course
Augusta National released a statement confirming no injuries were reported after the trees next to the 17th tee were blown down.
“Augusta National Golf Club can confirm there were no injuries from three trees blown down by the wind to the left of Tee No. 17,” the statement said.
“The safety and well-being of everyone attending the Masters Tournament will always be the Club’s top priority. We will continue to monitor the weather closely today and throughout the tournament.”