Augusta National Golf Club security escorted former major champion Mark Calcavecchia from the grounds on Tuesday for using a cell phone during Masters week.

The 65-year-old Calcavecchia, winner of the 1989 Open Championship at Royal Troon and a 13-time PGA Tour victor, was attending the 90th Masters as an honorary invitee. Past champions of golf's other majors receive lifetime invitations after an initial five-year exemption period. He competed in the Masters 18 times from 1987 to 2008, with a runner-up finish in 1988.

Augusta National enforces a strict prohibition on cell phones, laptops, tablets and two-way pagers to preserve the tournament's traditional atmosphere. AT&T, a top sponsor, provides landline phones at stations around the course for patrons' use. Violations result in immediate removal and forfeiture of tickets, with no exceptions for celebrities or former players.

Details of the incident remain limited. Golfweek reporter Adam Schupak contacted Calcavecchia by phone Wednesday. The golfer offered no specifics but did not deny the report. "I’ve got nothing negative to say about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters, so I think we should literally hang up right now," he said before ending the call.

Augusta National had not responded to comment requests as of Wednesday afternoon. The policy's rigor underscores the club's commitment to decorum amid the pageantry of the Masters, which teed off Thursday with the first round.

Calcavecchia is not the first prominent figure affected. In 2011, former Golf Channel analyst Charlie Rymer lost his media credential after using a phone outside the press center. "We explained to him our policy, how we take it very seriously and we sent him home," a club spokesman said then. Pro Keegan Bradley recalled his sister being caught with a phone in the clubhouse; she stored it in a safe after becoming emotional and was allowed to stay.

The enforcement highlights Augusta National's unwavering standards as the tournament draws thousands of patrons daily. Practice rounds earlier this week drew large crowds, with security vigilant across the property.