Giant pine trees fall on course at Masters golf tourney

April 7 (UPI) -- Two tall pine trees collapsed, narrowly missing spectators, during the second round of 2023 Masters Tournament on Friday in Augusta, Ga.

Play was suspended twice because of bad weather, which included rain and strong wind. ESPN reported on its broadcast that no injuries were sustained during the incident.

ESPN TV coverage showed the chaotic sequence of the tree collapse while Sergio Garcia was in the middle of his round.

Cameras were aimed at Garcia, who was distracted by the loud voices of fans on hole No. 17. Cracking sounds were audible on the footage, before the trees crashed to the ground near a tee box.

Megan Hill, one of the fans on the course, told the Augusta Chronicle that she was near the area during the sequence.

"I was sitting, looking, waiting for the next group to come up to the tee and it fell maybe 8-10 chairs to our left," Hill told the Chronicle. "I stood up and screamed and thought, 'Is it going to fall on me? It fell to the left of us and it was so scary.

"If the wind had been blowing a slightly different direction, we might have got hit."

Play was suspended for the second time after the incident.

Brooks Koepka carded a second-round 67 to take a 3-stroke lead on the field. He is now 12-under for the tournament, three strokes better than second-place Jon Rahm. Rahm was 2-under through nine holes in the second round.

More rain is expected Saturday and Sunday in Augusta. Third round coverage is scheduled from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday on CBS.