Golfer Jose Luis Ballester issues grovelling apology in backtrack after peeing on Masters course

Jose Luis Ballester initially doubled down after being caught urinating during the first round on his Masters debut at Augusta but has since issued an apology for his actions

Golfer Jose Luis Ballester initially doubled down on his decision to urinate on the Masters course during his opening round. Now, though, the Spaniard has issued an apology for his actions.

Ballester, who was part of a first-round group which also included defending champion Scottie Scheffler and two-time US PGA champ Justin Thomas, was caught short on the 13th hole. Unable to locate the toilets, he took a leak into Rae’s Creek, the body of water that passes through the Augusts course.

“I completely forgot that we had those restrooms to the left of the tee box. Then I’m like, ‘I really need to pee’,” he said at the time. “[I] didn’t really know where to go, and since JT [Thomas] had an issue on the green, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to sneak here in the river and probably people would not see me that much’.

“Then they clapped for me! Probably one of the claps that I got real loud, so that was kind of funny. It was not embarrassing at all for me. If I had to do it again, I would do it again.”

Ballester’s actions drew some criticism, though, with some fans calling for him to be disqualified. Despite his initial reaction, the debutant has now taken a different stance.

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“I already apologised to the club, and I think we just move on from this moment. It will not happen again,” Ballester told reporters, per The Sun. “I know there has been a lot said about what happened on social media, but I try to stay away from all that.

“A couple of friends reached out just to say ‘Hey, you’ll be fine.’ I’m still your friend. So it’s good to have those friends that have your back when the news is not that good about you.”

Ballester missed the cut after firing 76 in the first round and following it up with a 78 on Friday. Scheffler and Thomas both made it through to the weekend, though, with Scheffler -5 going into the final round and Thomas towards the back of the field on +4.

Scheffler is tied for sixth, some seven shots behind leader Rory McIlroy after the Northern Irishman posted an impressive round of 66 on Saturday. McIlroy’s closest challenger in the quest for a fifth career major is Bryson DeChambeau, and he spoke about facing off against the man who cruelly denied him US Open glory last year.

“He will do what he does – I have to stay firm and stay in my own little bubble,” McIlroy said. “I have a few little notes written in the back of my yardage book that I glance at every now and again while I’m walking the fairway. Just little reminders. Little, you know, one- or two-sentence things. I mean, all the cliché mantras that you’ve heard before, really.”