Mark Calcavecchia removed from Augusta for phone violation

Mark Calcavecchia, the 1989 Open champion and long‑time Masters participant, was asked to leave Augusta National this week after reportedly breaking the club’s uncompromising ban on mobile phones. The 65‑year‑old, an honorary invitee to the tournament, was seen using his phone on Tuesday and was subsequently escorted off the grounds by security, according to Golfweek.

Augusta’s rules prohibit all electronic devices for patrons, and not even former major winners are exempt. Contacted after the incident, Calcavecchia declined to criticise the club, insisting he had “nothing negative to say” about the Masters.

A three‑time PGA Tour winner, Calcavecchia played the Masters 18 times between 1987 and 2008, finishing runner‑up in 1988 behind Sandy Lyle. His Open triumph at Troon earned him lifetime Masters invitations, but that status did not shield him from enforcement. The episode underscores Augusta’s unwavering commitment to tradition and its famously rigid code of conduct.