Mark Calcavecchia, the 1989 Open Championship winner, was escorted from Augusta National this week and removed from the 90th Masters after security determined he was using a cellphone in violation of the tournament’s strict no-phone policy.
Calcavecchia, 65, was attending the tournament as an “honorary invitee” rather than as a competitor — a status extended to winners of golf’s other three majors after a period of exemption into the Masters — when officials say he was caught on his phone. Augusta National bans the use of phones, laptops, tablets and two‑way pagers by media members and patrons alike, a rule the club enforces to “maintain a traditional atmosphere.” Breaches of the rule can result in immediate expulsion and the loss of credentials or tickets.
Security removed Calcavecchia on Wednesday, the same day the Masters’ Par 3 Contest provided a lighthearted prelude to the main tournament. The Par 3 drew families and children onto the course and produced numerous photos of players with their kids, underscoring the contrast between the day’s convivial scenes and the club’s uncompromising enforcement of its technology restrictions.
The former PGA Tour winner — who has 13 Tour victories to his name and finished runner-up at Augusta in 1988 — said little after being removed. In a brief call with Golfweek he said, “I’ve got nothing negative to say about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters, so I think we should literally hang up right now,” and then disconnected.
Calcavecchia’s presence at this year’s Masters continued a long association with Augusta: he played the tournament 18 times between 1987 and 2008 but never claimed the green jacket. His expulsion this week is the latest reminder of how seriously Augusta National treats rules intended to preserve what the club and many patrons describe as the event’s traditional character.
The club has long maintained its technology ban as part of its broader approach to controlling the tournament environment. While the enforcement rarely makes headlines, the policy applies broadly — to everyday fans, credentialed media, and past champions when they are on site — and the consequences for breaches are swift.
Augusta National did not immediately release a public statement about the incident. Calcavecchia, who remains a figure of note in golf because of his major victory and longevity on the Tour, left the property after the interaction with security and declined to offer further comment.