Seven-time major champion Gene Sarazen had wielded a driver countless times throughout his illustrious career. But on this occasion, he had no intention of hitting a tee shot. Back in 1935, just before the Masters, ‘The Squire’ arrived in Augusta, Georgia, and checked into the Bon Air Hotel downtown. However, he never imagined his hotel stay would turn into a confrontation with an intruder.

The night before the first round, Sarazen went to bed early, hoping to wake up refreshed. However, at 4 a.m., that hope shattered when he was jolted awake by the sound of his hotel room door opening, only to find a stranger inside. What happened next has been recounted in a few different versions. One account comes from the 2002 book Tales from Augusta’s Fairways, claiming Sarazen found the intruder standing at the foot of his bed.

Sarazen proceeded to ask two questions: “Who are you? What do you want?” But when neither received an answer, the golfer leapt to grab the most golfing weapon he could find in the room: his driver from his golf bag. Seeing this, the intruder, reportedly a woman, replied, “I beg your pardon, I must be in the wrong room,” before making an embarrassed exit. That said, there’s another version of what happened. 

The Augusta Chronicle newspaper reported a day after the incident, which relied on Sarazen’s account, that the golfer had ended up chasing the intruder out of his room and down the hall. The report titled “Gene’s Club Is Handy,” read, “Sarazen opened his eyes to find someone peering at him over the foot of his bed. His first thought, he said, was that he was dreaming, but after pinching himself gently, he realized that he was quite wide awake.” 

His first concern wasn’t about his own safety, but about securing the $40 he had left out on the dresser. “It was the queerest experience I ever had,” he told sportswriter Grantland Rice. “But I was thinking of the forty dollars I had left on my dresser. These are tough days. I can use that forty dollars to feed my four cows.” In any case, after Sarazen grabbed his driver, the woman bolted, but the golfer followed her and out of the room.

However, after the woman went down the stairs, Sarazen realized that he wasn’t wearing clothes appropriate for the lobby, so he returned to his room. To this day, the woman’s identity remains a mystery, and the authorities never caught her. It’s worth noting that there were reports of theft in the Bon Air Hotel, so many thought the woman may have been the perpetrator, or one of the perpetrators.

And for those wondering why Sarazen was so concerned about a mere $40, the Great Depression was in full swing, and like many Americans, he was mindful of his spending. But he was staying at the Bon Air Hotel, described as a stately, luxurious manor house. As a successful golfer, the seven-time major champion was far better off than most Americans at the time. Regardless, with the incident behind him, Sarazen teed off at the Masters.

How did Gene Sarazen perform at the 1935 Masters? 

Despite having to go through the incident before the tournament, Gene Sarazen won the 1935 Masters Tournament following one of the most historic comebacks in golf history. During the final round, he trailed leader Craig Wood by three strokes as he approached the par-5 15th hole. From 235 yards away, Sarazen struck a 4-wood that bounced and rolled into the cup for a rare double eagle.

The shot, famously dubbed the “Shot Heard ’Round the World,” erased his deficit, and he parred the remaining holes to finish tied with Wood. The two golfers returned the following day for a 36-hole playoff, where Sarazen prevailed with a score of 144 to Wood’s 149, winning by five strokes. The victory also completed Sarazen’s career Grand Slam, making him the first golfer to win all four major championships. 

While the win was historic, the incident in his hotel room may have stolen some of its thunder at the time. Though recounted in historical accounts and old newspaper reports, the incident has faded from modern Masters lore.