The annual Masters Tournament brings together fans and players from all parts of the world, including Fuquay-Varina local Deshey Thomas who alerted spectators of uprooting trees just behind the chairs that they were sitting in. This year’s event ran from April 6-9, which did not yield the best weather conditions for golf, with roaring winds and pouring rain, but the event still continued. 

Unfortunately, because of the hazardous weather, there was a pause in play for about 21 minutes on Saturday, during the second round of the tournament.

Many of the spectators had prepared for the stormy weather by bringing raincoats and umbrellas. These came in handy for protection from the falling pinecones and pine needles in the strong winds near Augusta National Golf Club Hole No. 17.

“Pinecones were hitting us in the back,” said Thomas according to the “Augusta Chronicle.” “The tree basically crushed 10 chairs that were sitting there.” 

The first tree that fell took another one down with it, and it was a domino effect after that. 

 “We were kinda laughing and joking it was raining pine cones and pine needles,” recalled witness Sylvia Martin according to the “Augusta Chronicle.” 

To help with the pace of play, tournament officials moved starting times for all players up 30 minutes in hopes of beating the inclement weather for the rest of the day. 

Just before the interruption in play, Spanish golfer Jon Rahm was sitting in second place, and then finished the weekend in the top spot, making him the first Spaniard with this title.