Masters Golfer 'Really' Had to Go, So He Went

Jose Luis Ballester relieved himself in a creek mid-round, and the gallery noticed
Posted Apr 11, 2025 7:48 AM CDT
Updated Apr 11, 2025 7:51 AM CDT
Masters' Golfer 'Really' Had to Go, So He Went
Jose Luis Ballester of Spain watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Augusta, Ga.   (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

A strange moment unfolded at the Masters on Thursday when a 21-year-old golfer took a not-so-private bathroom break in the middle of his round. "I'm like, 'I really need to pee," Jose Luis Ballester explained later, per the Guardian. Which is why the US Amateur champion snuck into the nearby Rae's Creek off the 13th hole to relieve himself. Except it wasn't as private as he thought—the gallery gave him a nice ovation when he returned, "probably one of the really loud claps that I got today, so that was kind of funny," he said, per Yahoo Sports.

It's unclear whether the powers-that-be at the Master's agree whether it was funny, but there was no word on any potential punishment as of Friday morning. The kicker is that the Spaniard, who is a senior at Arizona State, could have used a restroom near the 13th tee box but forgot it existed, per the AP. "It was not embarrassing at all for me," he said afterward. "If I had to do it again, I would do it again."

  • Ballester was 4-over-par after two rounds and needs a strong round Friday to make the cut. Justin Rose leads at 7-under, per ESPN.
(More The Masters stories.)

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