MASTERS 2026
GARY MCCORD The crime: Saying "bikini wax" during TV coverage The punishment: Also stopped cover- ing the Masters for CBS The backstory: Similar to Whitaker, McCord was never part of CBS' Masters coverage after 1994 when he joked that Augusta National used bikini wax to get its greens so slick. He also used the phrase "body bags" for a trouble spot on the course. Ironically, it was McCord's Masters broadcasting career that died that day.
CURT SAMPSON The crime: Writing an unauthorised book about Augusta National's history The punishment: No longer credentialled by Augusta National The backstory: Unlike David Owen, who got cooperation from the club – and amazing playing privileges! – when writing his history of Augusta National, “The Making of the Masters," Sampson went rogue for "The Masters: Golf, Money, and Power in Augusta, Georgia." In fact, he's the one who wrote about the potential Stranahan-Roberts-secretary triangle. Golf Digest's Shane Ryan wrote a chapter on the Masters in his 2015 book, "Slaying the Tiger," with the following passage: I called up Curt Sampson after reading his book and asked if he’d ever been issued another media credential. I could hear a small laugh on the other end of the line. “Oh, Shane,” he said, as if I were a 19-year-old who still believed in Santa. “No.”
DOUG FORD The crime: Playing (well) past his prime The punishment: Asked Ordered to stop playing The backstory: Billy Casper is the most well-known past champ to take that lifetime exemption a bit too liter- ally after shooting 105 in the first round in 2005 and withdrawing without turn- ing in his scorecard. Augusta National wasn't too thrilled with that either, but officials were more upset with Ford showing up for years just to miss the cut and pocket the money for competing. At age 78 in 2001 – a full three decades (!) after he last made a cut – he took this to the extreme by withdrawing after an opening double bogey and was finally told to stop playing. Soon after, the club decided to put a 65-age limit on partici- pants, but it wound up scrapping that. So it's still up to the players, but you better believe they'll get a nudge when the club feels it's time to exit stage left.
WAYNE PLAYER The crime: Inappropriate product placement The punishment: Reported lifetime Masters ban
The backstory: In what has to be the tackiest moment in Masters history, Gary's son used the special ceremonial tee shot featuring Lee Elder in 2021 to promote his own golf ball deal. According to Wayne's brother, Marc, Wayne has been perma- nently banned from the Masters – despite the fact his dad is a three-time winner, nine-time major champ and a Masters honorary starter. The good news for Wayne? If he wants to hawk merchandise, he can always join John Daly in the Hooters car park down the street.
70 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MARCH/APRIL 2026
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