Masters Survey 2024: Padraig Harrington, Gary Player, Collin Morikawa among pros sharing their funniest ticket stories

My wife handles all that. I told her at the beginning I’m trying to win this tournament, you’re in charge so I always tell anyone who asks to text her.

Last year I had two friends come in on Thursday night. I completely forgot to leave their tickets at Will Call. I was teeing off in five minutes and took one last look at my phone. The tickets were still in my bedroom in a backpack. I gave them the code to our rental, they had to drive there, find them and I didn’t see them until the 15^th hole.

My church minister from South African, who was touring America, asked me for a ticket. I made the mistake of giving him my own badge. When he came to the gates, the security guards grabbed him to question how he obtained Gary Player’s badge. Fortunately, the chairman at the time, Bill Lane from Texas who was the ultimate gentleman, took care of the matter. 

I don’t know if it is funny but it’s a cool one. I get picked up from Palm Springs by a really nice volunteer one year and we get to talking and he says it’s his dream to go to Augusta and take his son. I said, “I’ve got some tickets for this year.” The way he looked at me was everything. We stayed in contact and I got him tickets for Monday and Tuesday practice rounds.

I always say turn up and we will find you a ticket. It’s difficult to promise someone a ticket but someone who makes the effort to come from Ireland, I always found a way to get them in.

One year, I hit it straight through the 14^th fairway and I’m in the crowd. This guy who I’d given a ticket to has broken free from the ring of people standing by my ball and is beside my caddie asking him what I have left? He got so excited. One of my other ticketed friends leaned over the crowd and grabbed him by the collar to bring him back in. I had one guy completely lose their mind in the excitement and another who was well aware to bring him back down to earth.

One time I had a couple tickets that came available and I offered them to a buddy of mine who is a professional wakeboarder in Orlando. He dropped everything and rented a car and drove up. It was a reality check and made me appreciate how special it is either to play in it or to go and watch it.

Our friends showed up from many states away and they brought their newborn baby. They were asked for a ticket for the baby. No forgiveness.

Not a funny one, but I keep a spreadsheet because I have one friend coming in Monday-Tuesday and another for Tuesday-Wednesday. I need it to keep track of everything.

I have over-committed and had members save me. I’m a little OCD. We are given eight, I buy the max of four. I make a spreadsheet and I keep it in my wallet.