The Loop
Local security tightened for Masters in wake of terrorist attacks
Security is always tight at Augusta National during the Masters, but in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Brussels, it will be even tighter this year, media outlets in Augusta are reporting.
“The sheriff’s office says they are concerned this latest round of attacks happened so close to Masters week,” Cody O’Hara, a reporter for WRDW-TV said.
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Captain Scott Gay of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office declined to reveal details of the security effort, though it has been widely reported that a ban on drones has been put in place from March 24 through April 13.
“The terrorists of today are always looking for new avenues to cause any type of catastrophic fear," Gay told WRDW-TV. “We have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. We’re comfortable going into the Masters Tournament that it’s going to be a safe event.”
Security has always been a top priority at Augusta National itself. When the club was seeking a director of security and safety a few years ago, its minimum job requirements included this: “Experience in law enforcement management, military, Secret Service, FBI, corporate security or personal protective detail working with high profile individuals preferred; Expertise in the analysis of security threats, risks and vulnerability domestically and internationally.”