Augusta National is already bracing for inclement weather. Officials have decided to delay the entry for patrons on Thursday. Gates were scheduled to open at 7.30 a.m. previously. The officials have yet to notify the new timings as of now. This will be the fifth time since 2019, that weather has impacted the Masters in one way or the other.
Furthermore, the parking facilities have been closed as well. In a social media post, Augusta National officials noted that further updates will be provided by 5 a.m EDT. If the gate entries are delayed, there are chances that it will further impact the course of play.
The weather forecast for Thursday predicts thunderstorms in the morning with a 92% chance of rain. However, the rain is expected to subside, with overcast conditions lasting throughout the day. But gutsy winds (15mph–20 mph) come into play as well. For comparison, the 35-40 mph winds spoiled the party at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
However, that’s only for the opening round. The chances of rain will reduce to 24% at night before a cloudy sky gives way to a sunny Friday. There is less than a 10% chance of rain for the next three days. Contrarily, the temperature is expected to go as high as 85F on Sunday.
The first group of players, Eric Von Rooyen and Jake Knapp, are poised to tee off at 8.00 a.m EDT. Before that, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tom Watson will start the first Major of the season with a ceremonial tee-off at 7.40 am EDT. It is unclear whether tee times will be changed or not.
Notably, Masters was played rain-free from 2014-18. Last year, multiple trees collapsed because of a heavy storm, and the third round was pushed to Sunday. In fact, heavy rains forced the final round of the 1973 & 1983 Masters to Monday as well. That looks highly unlikely now because of Augusta’s superior course management.
Augusta National has never shied away from adapting to the demands of modernity. One more piece of evidence of that is hidden below the greens of the par 72, 7555-yard layout. The SubAir System, first incorporated in the 1990s in a few holes, has now made way to the entire course. Primarily, used for turn management, the system drains excessive moisture from the putting greens and the fairways.
The system is connected to the drainage system below the surface. The grates you noticed on the hillside were created for this purpose. Hence, a faster ‘recovery’ for the greens after a heavy rain. Also the reason why, two to four inches of rain don’t cause a headache to Augusta National officials. Nevertheless, the strong wind will dictate the game on Thursday.
