AUGUSTA, Ga. — Merchandise bags are almost as ubiquitous as the azaleas at Augusta National Golf Club during Masters week, as patrons stock up with as much as they can carry at the various shops around the course. Because the only time you can purchase Masters merchandise is on site at Augusta National, nearly everyone lucky enough to obtain a Masters badge takes advantage of the rare opportunity to pick up some of the most coveted gear in golf.
The Masters makes just about everything one can imagine from polos, T-shirts and hats to dog bandanas, lawn gnomes and blankets, but one patron found an unexpected item in her bag on Thursday afternoon when Xander Schauffele’s drive bounded into it left of the 8th fairway.
A rules official ultimately explained to Schauffele his options. Ultimately, he marked the spot where the ball fell into the bag and received a free drop with the patron retrieving her items without being able to keep the bonus gift.
That ended up being a decent break for Schauffele, who dropped back into the first cut, but he was unable to take full advantage of the situation by making par on the par 5 to remain at 1 under on his first round.
For all that was in that patron’s bag she planned to take home from Augusta National, none of it will top the story she now has from her visit to the Masters of that time one of golf’s top stars hit a ball into her bag.