Jose Luis Ballester has prompted controversy on his Masters debut after admitting to urinating into Rae’s Creek throughout his opening spherical at Augusta Nationwide.
The US Beginner champion was drawn alongside defending champion Scottie Scheffler and former world No 1 Justin Thomas for his main debut, the place he struggled to a four-over 76.
Ballester bounced again from two bogeys in his first three holes and a triple-bogey on the par-four fifth to birdie the sixth, then cancelled out a bogey on the eleventh gap by birdieing the par-three subsequent.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Highlights from Scottie Scheffler’s opening spherical at Augusta Nationwide, the place he posted 4 birdies
The Spaniard discovered himself caught quick on the par-five subsequent, often called Azalea, with Ballester electing to make use of Rae’s Creek in its place bathroom spot earlier than finishing the outlet in par.
“I completely forgot that we had those restrooms to the left of the tee box,” Ballester admitted to reporters after his spherical. “Then I am like, ‘I actually need to pee’.
Ballester admitted to urinating in Rae’s Creek whereas enjoying the par-five thirteenth at Augusta Nationwide
“Did not actually know the place to go, and since JT [Thomas] had a difficulty on the inexperienced, I am like, ‘I am simply going to sneak right here within the river and possibly folks wouldn’t see me that a lot’.
“Then they clapped for me! Probably one of the claps that I got real loud, so that was kind of funny. It was not embarrassing at all for me. If I had to do it again, I would do it again.”
Ballester completed his spherical with a run of seven consecutive pars
Scheffler, aiming to turn into the primary back-to-back winner of The Masters since Tiger Woods and first to win the Inexperienced Jacket thrice in 4 years since Jack Nicklaus, carded 4 birdies in a four-under 68.
Every of the final six males’s main champions have been within the prime 4 after the opening spherical, whereas 18 of the previous 20 Masters champions have been inside the highest 10 following the opening day, though Scheffler performed down the significance of begin.
“I don’t really think about that stuff very much,” Scheffler mentioned. “I don’t really care what happened in the last few tournaments.
Scheffler is in search of his first worldwide victory of the season
“I believe anytime you get near the lead, it’ll be simpler so that you can win the golf event. That is a easy reality of the matter. You get off to begin, statistically you are going to have a greater probability to win the event.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
![scottie]](https://e0.365dm.com/25/04/768x432/skysports-scheffler-masters_6882302.jpg?20250410211706)
Scheffler seems again on beginning his title defence with a bogey-free 68
“I think around major championship golf courses, it’s funny because this is a golf course where there’s a lot of opportunities. There’s a lot of opportunity over the weekend. There’s a lot of opportunity on Sunday with where they put the pins. I’m a bit surprised that it’s like that, but I wouldn’t say that it can’t be done.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Scheffler blind ranks a few of the most iconic moments from Masters historical past
Scheffler acquired up and down from in need of the inexperienced to benefit from the par-five second earlier than draining a outstanding 60-foot birdie on the par-three fourth, with the world No 1 then scrambling pars over every of the following three holes to proceed his bogey-free begin.
An excellent pitch on the par-five eighth arrange a 12-foot birdie that moved Scheffler to 3 beneath and noticed him attain the flip in 33, the identical whole because the opening day of his title defence in 2023, with Scheffler ending a run of pars with one other long-range birdie on the par-three sixteenth.
Former world No 1 Justin Rose – a two-time Masters runner-up charged into the lead with a seven-under 65, with the Englishman now having extra first-round leads at Augusta Nationwide than any participant in historical past.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Scheffler holes large 60ft and 40ft putts on the fourth and sixteenth respectively to mount a robust defence of his Masters title
When is The Masters stay on Sky Sports activities?
Sky Sports activities Golf shall be exhibiting document hours of stay protection from the 2025 contest, together with extra motion over the ultimate two rounds than earlier years. Wall-to-wall protection continues on Friday from 2pm, with Featured Group motion and common updates till the worldwide broadcast window begins at 8pm.
A brand new addition to this 12 months’s protection sees a Masters build-up present stay from 3pm over the weekend forward of full protection beginning at 5pm, protecting all of the motion till after the shut of play.
Sky+, Sky Q and Sky Glass will present loads of bonus feeds and will let you comply with gamers’ progress by means of varied components of Augusta’s well-known format, together with Amen Nook and extra.
Who will win The Masters? Watch all through the week stay on Sky Sports activities. Stay protection of the second spherical begins with Featured Teams on Friday from 2pm on Sky Sports activities Golf. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
