Zach Johnson denies telling Masters patrons to “f**k off”

Zach Johnson has vigorously denied suggestions that he told Masters patrons to “f**k off” during the second round at Augusta National.

In footage that has been shared widely on social media, the former US Ryder Cup captain can be heard to say the words after racking up a triple-bogey on the par-3 12th.

Some users on X (formerly Twitter) appeared to be of the opinion that the 48-year-old directed his frustration back towards the patrons over 150 yards away.

According to the man himself, however, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“That’s laughable,” said Johnson. “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.

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“If I’ve said anything, which I’m not going to deny, especially if it’s on camera, one, I apologise, and two, it was fully directed towards myself entirely because I can’t hear anything behind me. Does that make sense?”

He later added: “I’m just frustrated by that. I am sorry if it looked like that. Please know that. 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 apologise if there was something there.

“I have a deep reverence and humility for this place. The people, the members, the patrons – it’s legitimately everything.”

Johnson has endured a difficult six months since presiding over the USA’s heavy Ryder Cup defeat in Rome and, in February, was filmed in a tense altercation with fans during the WM Phoenix Open.

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That, he says, was an exception rather than a rule.

“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 added.

But back to the triple on 12.

It proved ultimately decisive in him missing the cut at Augusta National for the third time in the last four years.

Despite that, he insists he’ll be tuning in to the action this weekend.

“One million per cent, yeah. One million per cent.”

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor