Even Major Winners Aren’t Safe: Augusta Tosses Calcavecchia For Cell Phone Violation

Mark Calcavecchia found out the hard way that Augusta National does not bend its rules for anyone.

The 1989 Open champion was escorted off the grounds during a practice round at the 2026 Masters after using a cell phone, according to Golfweek, a violation that gets you removed the second security spots you using it.

Calcavecchia was not in the field this week, but that did not matter. 

Mark Calcavecchia of the United States tees off on the third hole during Day One of The 150th Open at St Andrews Old Course on July 14, 2022, in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Augusta National does not hand out exceptions based on who you are or how long you have been around the game, and the club’s no-phone policy is enforced the same way for everyone on the property, from first-time patrons to major champions.

Augusta has long positioned the Masters as a place where fans are not staring through screens and players are not surrounded by cameras, and unlike most sporting events, the rule is clearly communicated at the gate and actually enforced once inside.

Mark Calcavechia plays his shot from the second tee during the first round of the SAS Championship at Prestonwood Country Club on October 11, 2024, in Cary, North Carolina. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

When reached for comment, Calcavecchia declined to criticize the club and shut the conversation down before it went any further. 

"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," Calcavecchia told Golfweek.

At Augusta National, there is no gray area, and if a former major champion can get booted for pulling a phone out during a practice round, anyone can.

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