As is often the case in Augusta, what is not said is more revealing than what is.
When the news of the unexpected stand of Jose Luis Ballester to flee in the stream bought the course on Thursday, the reflections quickly turned to the way people in authority would react. Could this be the armada moment of the young Spanish? Would he be sunk after his attack on water? Would a laconic statement inform the world that the 2024 American amateur champion would not come back on Friday?
He is sure to say that there was no precedent. Players tend to respect the gospel of green jackets. None decided to run in one of the most emblematic parts of the most emblematic golf course, drop their carts and create a strength of titles.
But if it was the moment of Augusta’s Watergate, there was no real attempt to launch a concealment. In particular by the 21-year-old himself, who openly admitted an act which shocked (parts of) of America and who easily declared that he would repeat the trick again if the need gets up. “If I had to start again, I would do it again,” he said, before joking the helmet that grabs him the greatest joy in the round.
Confirmation of the state of play arrived at 8:15 p.m. local time and, in the tournament tradition, he answered the question without answering the question. An information bulletin for Friday featured groups fell and at 1:23 p.m. of Ballester named appeared next to those of Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas.
Jose Luis Ballester, in Spain, was surprised Thursday at the Augusta National Golf Club Thursday
The 21 -year -old rose in the famous Rae’s Creek next to the 13th hole in Augusta
As they often do, the requests for comments to Augusta National have remained unanswered, but it is difficult to imagine that someone did not take the arm of Ballester and suggests that they become familiar with the spell of the course before leaving for the second round.
When this moment came, it was again as if nothing had happened. One of the most tedious elements to watch golf can be the presence of experts from Fairway Tanked-up, who loudly share their expertise and their full-minded jokes without being asked.
Fortunately, this is rarely the case here, although the credit must go to the only woman the second who mentioned it at least after Ballester, who started four sous, teed off. “Do you need to poop?” She asked under his breath as he passed.
Ballester had also aroused criticism for having carried a cap with the nickname of his Arizona State University, “ Sun Devils ”, with lettering upside down. This time, he was in a black cap with a small logo, a “Spain” black polo shirt and white pants. He listened carefully to Scheffler between the holes and all seemed serene. Indeed, there was only one moment of slight alarm – when he unzipped his bag, released a blue power and slipped strongly.
