AUGUSTA, Ga. — Sometimes, when you’re on the golf course and you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go.
Even if you go in one of the most sacred places.
Enter Jose Luis Ballester, the 21-year-old reigning U.S. Amateur champion from Spain, playing in his first Masters and paired with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in Thursday’s first round.
He peed in Rae’s Creek at the 13th hole.
“I completely forgot that we had those restrooms to the left of the tee box,’’ Ballester explained. “And then I’m like, I really need to pee. Didn’t really know where to go, and since JT (Justin Thomas, the other player in the group) had an issue on the green, I’m like, I’m just going to sneak here in the river and probably people would not see me that much.’’
But people did see.
“And then they clapped for me,’’ Ballester said. “Probably one of the claps that I really got today — real loud — so that was kind of funny.’’
Asked if he was concerned there might be some blowback from tournament officials, Ballester said, “They saw me. It was not embarrassing at all for me. If I had to do it again, I would do it again.’’
Ballester finished with a 4-over-par 76 in the round.
The U.S. Amateur champion is traditionally grouped with the defending Masters champion.
“We had a fantastic group, and I thought that the pressure didn’t really hit me that much, which is something that I’m proud of,’’ Ballester said. “I remember when I played first my first major two years ago at The Open, I was shaking on the first tee. Today I felt really comfortable.’’
Comfortable enough to take a leak in Rae’s Creek.
