AUGUSTA, Ga. — Zach Johnson had a rough day on the golf course and an even worse time in the interview area on Friday at Augusta National Golf Club.
The 2007 champion shot rounds of 76-75 in the first two rounds of the 2024 Masters and will be heading home early with a score of 7 over. However, Johnson would’ve been close to the cut line had he not triple-bogeyed the picturesque par-3 12th hole in the second round. After missing a nine-foot putt for double, the 48-year-old tapped in for triple and after some applause from the gallery across Rae’s Creek, video footage posted on social media caught Johnson saying “(expletive) off.”
When asked after his round, Johnson made a mess of the situation and acted like he didn’t know what happened. The exchange was a tough look.
Q: Why don’t you clear the air about the social media thing.
ZACH JOHNSON: I’m not familiar with any social media thing out there. I’ve just signed my scorecard.
Q: There was some comment attributed to you to the patrons after your shots on 12.
ZACH JOHNSON: My first shot that went in the bush?
Q: It was after the putt maybe.
ZACH JOHNSON: After my putt for double bogey? Or after my putt for triple — I guess it really doesn’t matter. I can’t hear anything from — they’re 100 — with the downhill, they’re 152. They’re actually 154 away, so 152 away. I don’t understand the situation at all.
What are they saying that I did or said?
Q: It’s been reported that you swore at some of the patrons.
ZACH JOHNSON: That I swore at the patrons? That’s laughable. That’s completely laughable. I can’t hear the patrons, number one. Number two, I just made a triple bogey on the 12th hole that evidently is going to make me miss the cut, which at the time I knew was pretty sensitive in the sense that I needed to keep making pars.
If I’ve said anything, which I’m not going to deny, especially if it’s on camera, one, I apologize, and two, it was fully directed towards myself entirely because I can’t hear anything behind me. Does that make sense?
100% did pic.twitter.com/UuiRwi9xoE
— BK (@BKacinko) April 12, 2024
Despite the damning video, we have to take ZJ at his word. That said, this wouldn’t be his first run-in with fans this year. Earlier in the season at the WM Phoenix Open the 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup captain lost his cool with some fans on the par-5 15th hole tee box.
“Somebody said it, I’m just sick of it. Just shut up,” Johnson said to the group before security stepped in back in February.
On Friday he said he interjected with fans “multiple times” that day at TPC Scottsdale but argued the time he was caught on camera was because fans were drinking too much.
“But when I see vomiting and then guys egging on the guy to drink another beer with a middle school golf team to my right, I’m going to say something as an adult,” he claimed, even though a middle school golf team wasn’t pictured in the video shared online and he was clearly upset about something a fan said to him.
🚨🗣️🫨 #WATCH: Zach Johnson has had enough of the gallery at the WMPO – ‘SHUT UP’ pic.twitter.com/dJHJ5Kjax6
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) February 11, 2024
At the end of his flash area meeting with the press when asked whether he’d watch the Masters after missing the cut, Johnson went back to address what happened on the 12th hole.
“I’m going to clear that up. I don’t know what was said on 12 because I’m really frustrated by that. I’m just frustrated by that. I am sorry if it looked like that. Please know that,” he said. “I had no intention of — I can’t hear anybody. I probably should have said something to my caddie. No, I’m just kidding. All seriousness, I apologize if there was something there.”
Once again, we have to take Johnson at his word, but past experiences make this a real tough look for the guy.
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