AUGUSTA, GA — A 38-year-old man was arrested Thursday afternoon after spending an estimated four hours inside the grounds of Augusta National Golf Club disguised as an azalea bush, where he reportedly watched the entire front nine of the Masters first round before being detected by a grounds crew member who tried to prune him.
Garrett Wade Posey of Aiken, South Carolina, allegedly constructed an elaborate wearable shrub costume using a chicken-wire frame, landscaping fabric, and approximately $340 worth of artificial azalea blooms purchased from three separate Hobby Lobby locations. Investigators believe he entered the property before dawn by scaling a fence along Washington Road and embedding himself in a mulch bed near the third tee box.
In Full Bloom and Full Violation of the Law
Posey went undetected through the honorary starters ceremony and most of the morning wave, blending seamlessly with Augusta National’s immaculate landscaping. His cover was blown when a groundskeeper noticed one of the azaleas “kept leaning toward the fairway every time Rory McIlroy walked by.”
“I’ve been on this crew nineteen years. I know every bush on this property. That bush was not there yesterday, and it was wearing New Balances.” — Augusta National Grounds Crew Member, name withheld per club policy
When Pinkerton security approached, Posey reportedly attempted to remain motionless but was betrayed by his phone vibrating — he had been live-streaming the round to a private Facebook group called “Masters Badges We Can’t Afford.” The group had 11 viewers at the time of his arrest.
Posey was escorted off the grounds and booked into the Richmond County Jail on charges of criminal trespass. His costume was confiscated as evidence, though one arresting deputy noted it was “honestly really well made.” A four-day Masters badge currently retails for $525. Posey’s azalea suit cost him $340 in materials, a $2,500 bond, and what his wife described in a phone call as “the last shred of patience I had left.” His booking is now live on JailReport.lol.