Jose Luis Ballester is playing in his first ever Masters this year, and he has already left his mark on Augusta National Golf Club. Just don’t expect tournament officials to be thrilled about it.
Ballester earned a spot in the Masters field by winning the 2024 U.S. Amateur championship. Despite playing in a star-studded group on Thursday that featured Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas, it was Ballester who may have given fans the most memorable moment of the day.
Ballester disappeared for a brief period on the 13th hole, but he was not as hidden as he would have liked. Some fans in the gallery began clapping when they saw the 21-year-old urinating into the famous Rae’s Creek.
When asked after the round about the bathroom break, Ballester giggled and had an honest response.
“Well, I completely forgot that we had those restrooms on the left of the tee box. And then I’m like, ‘I really need to pee,'” Ballester said. “Didn’t really know where to go, and since (Thomas) had an issue on the green I’m like, ‘Okay, I’m just gonna sneak here in the river.’ Probably (thought) people would not see me that much, and then they clapped for me. Probably one of the claps that I got today, like really loud, so that was kind of funny.”
Ballester was then asked if he was concerned that there will be any repercussions, but he did not seem worried. He said he was not embarrassed and that “if I had to do it again, I would do it again.”
José Luis Ballester explained why he urinated in Rae's Creek during today's opening round of the Masters. pic.twitter.com/4CduoJScId
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) April 10, 2025
There has been no indication that Ballester will face disciplinary action, though he will almost certainly be told not to do something like that again. If you want to know how strict Augusta National members and tournament organizers are, look no further than the situation that played out with Jason Day and his wardrobe.
Ballester shot a 4-over 76 on Thursday, so he has some work to do in order to make the cut. Our guess is he will use the restroom if nature calls during the second round on Friday.
