Play suspended at Masters after fans sent scrambling in scary scene

Spectators at the Masters were fortunate not to be injured after three trees fell on the course during the second day of play at Augusta. Stunning vision from the broadcast showed fans scattering as the pine trees came crashing down nearby.

Masters officials reported soon afterward that nobody had been hurt, however they were forced to suspend play for the day. The weather is tipped to worsen over the next 48 hours in Augusta, with officials also evacuating the grounds following the tree falling.

WOW: Furore erupts over 'very obvious' act from Brooks Koepka's caddie

'PETTY': Greg Norman lashes out as Augusta boss defends Masters snub

Australian golfer Harrison Crowe was near the scene, on the 16th green with playing partner Min Woo Lee when a loud noise could be heard disrupting the crowd. The broadcast, which was focused on Sergio Garcia at the nearby 15th green, captured the 43-year-old looking around in confusion as the commotion erupted.

"You could hear it cracking and everyone ran like hell," one eyewitness told Yahoo Sports. "It's what you do."

Two trees were completely uprooted by a strong gust of wind, snapping a third tree in half as they collapsed to the ground. Fans on social media couldn't believe the fortune of nearby spectators that nobody was injured.

Katie Waites, a fan who had travelled to the Masters from South Carolina, said it was a 'miracle' that nobody was hurt. "I was talking to friends next to me and all of sudden we heard a crack," she said.

"And there were three trees across the pond, and all of a sudden we saw them falling and everybody — it was just like ants. They were like, scattering just like ants from beneath. All three fell at the same time. And then I just grabbed my friends' hands we were like, 'Is everyone OK?' And it was silent."

Brooks Koepka holds clubhouse lead after Masters suspends play

While not everyone was able to finish their second round before play was suspended, Brooks Koepka was able to extend his lead after firing a five-under 65. He finished the day with a four-shot clubhouse lead over Jon Rahm, who had only played through nine holes before play was suspended.

Officials later announced play would be suspended for the rest of the day.

Play had already been briefly delayed once, with weather expected to worsen in the coming days around Augusta. Despite this, Koepka was bullish about his prospects after a bogey-free round.

"It was really solid. Didn't really do too much wrong," Koepka said. "Maybe the speed kind of got me on a few putts.

"Wasn't hitting them hard enough there towards the end, but I was striking the ball really well and leaving it in good spots. And that's what you've got to do.

"You've got to make birdies on these par 5s, take advantage of them. And I did a good job of that."

A winner of last week's LIV Golf International, Koepka was among 18 players from Greg Norman's Saudi-backed breakaway league to tee up at the year's first major. The doubters predicted golf's outcasts - including Australia's reigning British Open champion Cameron Smith - would lack the competitive edge to compete with the PGA Tour stars after playing only a light schedule in 2023.

But while Smith and others were struggling to keep up during the opening two rounds, Koepka has set a cracking pace. His closest pursuer through two completed rounds is US amateur Sam Bennett, whose successive 68s playing alongside world No.1 and defending champion Scottie Scheffler left the upstart four strokes behind Koepka at eight under.

Collin Morikawa signed for a second straight 69 to be six under, with Australian Jason Day (67-72) seven shots off the pace. Day had been only one behind but dropped four shots in his last four holes in a depressing finish to an otherwise fine second round featuring five birdies.

Sam Burns (71) and former champion Jordan Spieth (70) were tied for sixth with Day.

With AAP

Sign up to our newsletter and score the biggest sport stories of the week.