AUGUSTA, GA — A 26-year-old woman called 911 from inside Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday evening, claiming she was being “held against her will” by her boyfriend. Officers responded in force only to discover that the woman was seated in a premium viewing area along the 18th fairway and that the alleged hostage situation was, in her words, “twelve straight hours of golf I did not agree to.”
Kayla Brianne Norwood of Columbia, South Carolina, placed the call at approximately 6:45 p.m., telling dispatchers she had been “trapped since sunrise” and “couldn’t leave.” Dispatchers classified the call as a potential domestic situation and alerted both Augusta-Richmond County deputies and Pinkerton security on the grounds.
Twelve Hours of Birdies, Zero Interest
Officers located Norwood in a folding chair near the 18th green, wearing a visor she later described as “not mine and not cute,” holding an untouched pimento cheese sandwich, and sitting next to her boyfriend, Ryan Mercer, 28, who was tracking every group on a custom-printed spreadsheet he had laminated the night before.
“She had access to the most exclusive sporting event in the world. She had a chair. She had a sandwich. She had shade. He bought her a hat from the pro shop that cost $38. I don’t know what crime was committed here but I know it wasn’t by him.” — Sgt. Paul Gibbons, Richmond County SO
Mercer told officers he had surprised Norwood with the badges — a pair of Thursday passes he had won in the Masters ticket lottery — and that she had been “kind of quiet” all day, which he interpreted as “taking it all in.” Norwood told officers she had asked to leave after the second hole and had been told “you don’t leave the Masters” eleven separate times.
No charges were filed against Mercer. Norwood was cited for misuse of 911 emergency services, a misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $1,000. She was not arrested but her citation has been posted to JailReport.lol by popular demand. As of press time, the couple’s relationship status is listed as “under review.” Mercer was last seen watching a replay of McIlroy’s round on his phone in the parking lot while Norwood sat in the car.