The PGA Tour is still in Hawaii for the Sony Open and on Saturday morning players woke up to a very scary scenario. A message went out across the state that there was a missile threat. The alert went to phones and was seen on local television screens describing that a missile threat was detected and may impact on land or sea within minutes.
“BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”
Obviously the message caused a sense of panic across the state that included many PGA Tour players and their families.
John Peterson, who is currently tied for second sent the following tweet out:
Under mattresses in the bathtub with my wife, baby and in laws. Please lord let this bomb threat not be real.
— John Peterson (@JohnPetersonFW) January 13, 2018
JJ Spaun tweeted from a basement under his hotel:
In a basement under hotel. Barely any service. Can you send confirmed message over radio or tv https://t.co/qHLeQSecnd
— JJ Spaun (@JJSpaun) January 13, 2018
Steve Wheatcroft shared a picture of the alert:
So…….this can’t be good. Everyone is freaking out in the hotel pic.twitter.com/NDkg8FxQLy
— Steve Wheatcroft (@wheatiePGA) January 13, 2018
Many others, including last year’s winner Justin Thomas, shared frustration after a second message was sent out stating that the alert was a mistake.
https://twitter.com/JustinThomas34/status/952245322134114305
Well this may be one of the scariest alerts I have ever received. Luckily it was a mistake. This is no small mistake. I hope it doesn’t happen again. pic.twitter.com/EjbwrJc5H0
— Austin Cook (@austincookgolf) January 13, 2018
That just happened pic.twitter.com/yiPyPpQPQ4
— Danny Lee (@dannygolf72) January 13, 2018
Apparently this is fake…nice way to start the day! #ugh pic.twitter.com/eguGH259is
— Tyrone Van Aswegen (@tvangolf) January 13, 2018
Not your normal emergency warning. Really hope it’s just a drill pic.twitter.com/whSKtoI67M
— Seamus Power (@Power4Seamus) January 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/GrilloEmiliano/status/952242361534373889
Wow I normally hit the snooze button a couple times but not today…….hey North Korea chill out man pic.twitter.com/KbtULCxTyE
— Jonathan Randolph (@JRandolph88) January 13, 2018
While the frustration with the mistake is understandable, at least everyone is safe.