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Former British Open champion Mark Calcavecchia was booted from The Masters earlier this week for rule breaking. The “honorary invitee” was removed by security for using his phone.
Augusta National has a strict no-phone policy, which applies to all attendees. Calcavecchia found out the hard way. He’s since responded publicly, though it’s done little to provide clarity on the situation.
Electronic devices to include cell phones, tablets, laptops, and beepers are prohibited at The Masters. Any devices with the ability to transmit video and photos are not allowed, particularly during tournament play, though there are some exceptions.
Tuesday was a practice round. The no-phone rule still applied. Calcavecchia did not adhere to the policy. He was kicked out as a result.
Mark Calcavecchia was booted from The Masters.
Adam Schupak of Golfweek broke the story on Wednesday. He reached out for comment after the fact. Calcavecchia’s reply was dismissive.
“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,” the golfer said before doing just that.
Calcavecchia is no stranger to The Masters. He played the event nearly 20 times throughout his career, finishing second in the 1988 field. He recorded another Top 5 in 2001.
There was no need for his phone during tournament play. As a spectator, though, he thought it appropriate to use.
Maybe he did not know the rule applied to honorary guests. Maybe he believed it was okay to use the device in a certain area of the venue. We do not know the full context of the situation.
Whatever the case, he received punishment in the form of a security escort from the grounds.
The golfer is back on social media.
Schupak states that the incident occurred Tuesday. Mark Calcavecchia’s social media activity would seem to confirm that.
He was active on X Monday before going dark the following 24 hours. He later returned on Wednesday to reply to a follower about a Masters dinner photo, which Calcavecchia says he was robbed of being in.
His most recent activity was the oddest. It was completely unrelated to his Masters removal, or golf at all.
Just hours after being booted from Augusta National, he solved a tricky math question for his followers online.
42
— Mark Calcavecchia (@MarkCalc) April 9, 2026
The optics are hilarious for many reasons. Less than a day after being scolded for phone use, he pushes out meaningless trivia-type information on the same device upon regaining access. The activity was almost immediate.
The fact that he actually posted publicly as opposed to simply solving the brain teaser in his head is even funnier.
The best part of the online interaction, though, is that he acts as though nothing happened. He couldn’t be less bothered by his ejection. He’s already moved on.