Masters Viral Second: Kizzire Will get Down and Soiled in Augusta’s Azaleas
AUGUSTA, Ga. – April 10, 2025
The Masters Event is thought for its pristine magnificence, iconic inexperienced jackets, and moments of {golfing} brilliance. However this 12 months, Patton Kizzire added one other memorable chapter to Augusta Nationwide’s storied historical past when he actually dove into the problem of the course’s famed landscaping.
On the par-5 thirteenth gap of Augusta Nationwide’s again 9, Kizzire’s strategy shot drifted proper, touchdown precariously near one of many course’s signature azalea bushes. What adopted turned an immediate viral sensation throughout social media platforms.
Decided to avoid wasting par on the essential gap, the 39-year-old golfer acquired down on his fingers and knees and crawled partially into the flowering shrubbery to evaluate his ball’s place and doable escape routes.
“I may see a small window,” Kizzire defined afterward. “However I wanted to get my eye degree proper with the ball to actually perceive what I used to be working with. Typically you have to do what you have to do.”
Tv cameras caught the 6-foot-5 golfer in an ungainly sprawl, with simply his legs seen as he disappeared into the pink and white azaleas. The Masters’ usually subdued crowd could not comprise their amusement, with laughter rippling throughout Amen Nook.
CBS commentator Jim Nantz remarked through the broadcast, “In all my years overlaying this match, I’ve by no means seen a participant fairly so… immersed in Augusta’s horticulture.”
Remarkably, after extracting himself from the foliage and eradicating a number of leaves from his hat and shirt, Kizzire managed to execute a fragile chip shot that rolled inside eight ft of the cup. He then sank the putt for an unbelievable par save.
Fellow competitor Max Homa later tweeted, “Patton on the market taking part in cover and search on the Masters. Respect the dedication.”
Inside hours, memes and video clips of “The Shrubbery Shot” had garnered hundreds of thousands of views on-line. One viral edit set Kizzire’s azalea journey to David Attenborough-style nature documentary narration.
Regardless of the momentary comedy, Kizzire’s dedication mirrored the intense problem Augusta Nationwide presents to even the world’s greatest golfers. His restoration demonstrated the artistic problem-solving typically required on the Masters.
“Augusta Nationwide exams each side of your sport, together with your willingness to get your garments soiled,” Kizzire joked throughout his post-round interview. “The dry cleansing invoice this week could be a bit greater than standard.”
Kizzire completed his spherical with a decent 2-over 74, maintaining him in competition heading into tomorrow’s second spherical. However no matter the place he finishes on the leaderboard, his crawling escapade has already secured his place in Masters folklore.
As three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson noticed, “That is what makes Augusta particular. Yearly, one thing occurs that you’ve got by no means seen earlier than.”
