Charles Howell III was eating breakfast in his Honolulu hotel when the restaurant at the Kahala started buzzing.

Everyone had their phones. Everyone received the same push alert.

“BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”

“All the alarms went off at the same time,” Howell said. “It got everyone’s attention. I didn’t know what to do. We all stared at each other. It kind of shows you the world we live in now. Your whole life can change in a second.”

The push alert turned out to be a mistake.

The scare lasted only about 10 minutes, a little longer depending on the source of information.

Some players at least knew about Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, whose tweet that it was a false alarm made the rounds quickly. But it was long enough to create an unsettling start to the third round of the Sony Open from the brief uncertainty and panic across the island.

When the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency tweeted there was no missile threat, J.J. Spaun replied on Twitter, “In a basement under hotel. Barely any service. Can you send confirmed message over radio or tv.”

John Peterson was playing in the final group Saturday, one of five players who were three shots out behind leader Brian Harman. He is traveling with his wife, her parents and their 3-month-old son.

“Under mattresses in the bathtub with my wife, baby and in-laws. Please lord let this bomb threat not be real,” Peterson tweeted.

The push alert was issued shortly after 8 a.m., and Waialae Country Club was largely empty because the first tee time was not until 11:05 a.m.

European Tour: Chris Paisley leads by a shot over home favorite Branden Grace going into the final round of the South African Open in Johannesburg. Paisley remained calm in a 2-under 70 in the third round to move to 15 under overall and took the outright lead after sharing it with Adrien Saddier overnight.

Three players are tied for third on 12 under and three shots off the lead. They are Saddier, Chase Koepka and Jacques Blaauw. Koepka, the younger brother of U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka, put together a 68 on Saturday and is in his first season on the European Tour and also searching for a first victory.

Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen was tied for fourth after the second round at Glendower Golf Club in Johannesburg but his search for a first win since 2009 took a hit with a 1-over 73 Saturday. Goosen is now tied for 20th.