Masters tree fall crushed chairs with patrons hit in the back by pinecones in scary moment | Golf | Sport

Masters patrons had a lucky escape as storms hit Augusta National stopping play and felling three trees. The towering pines crashed to the ground near the 17th tee, crushing vacant spectators’ chairs, as fans ran to escape.

“It sounded like a grandstand blew over, super loud,” said Sergio Garcia, who was on the green at the nearby 15th.

“Two trees fell down from the routes and took another one on the way down.

“People scattered around them but there was one woman that the trees fell around her and somehow she didn’t get hurt. Thank God.”

Patrons in the area quickly scrambled out of the way.

Eye witness Deshey Thomas, from North Carolina, said it was incredible that no-one was hurt.

“Pinecones were hitting us in the back, we turned around and looked up and heard a huge cracking noise and the tree basically crushed ten chairs that were sitting there,” said Thomas.

“Luckily we got everyone out of there. We were blessed.”