Different, dramatic, fun: There’s mystery in what to expect at a Masters in November
Pushed out of its comfort zone by a dreaded disease called COVID-19, the Masters finally takes its place in the spotlight this month and arrives cloaked in the mystery of questions begging for answers.
Even so, Golf Channel personality Rich Lerner said, “There will be drama and the Masters will not mean less.”
The date — November rather than April — is not the only difference. With no galleries, fans will be glued to their televisions for a peek into the unknown.
▪ How will the treasured Augusta National Golf Club course play in the fall? Which direction will the autumn wind blow? Will cooler temperatures impact play?
▪ With the beauty of springtime azaleas and dogwoods dormant, what will the backdrop look like? The orange and yellow hues of autumn? Something else? Colorful fall flowers are plentiful, and some azaleas bloom multiple times a year. Club officials reportedly have brought in extra azaleas for splashes of color if the usual spring array falls below standards. Could mums or pansies provide the November background?
▪ With no spectators, will the “roars” that echo through the pines and put exclamation points on great shots be missed? Will their absence matter?
▪ With presumably no bleachers, will the aiming points for players change? Will no temporary structures open the possibility for different — and more compelling — shots for the TV networks?
The what-ifs list goes on and on, provides plenty of fodder for pre-tournament speculation and whets the appetite for one of the world’s greatest sports events.
“I know the presentation will be memorable,” Lerner said in previewing the tourney from his Orlando office. “Augusta National will spare nothing to be perfect. The painting will look different, but the scene will be gorgeous, as pleasing as ever. That’s what they do.”
New Masters dates for 2020
Indeed, it’s no accident that Augusta National officials picked the week of Nov. 9-15 to replace the usual April dates after the pandemic closed golf — and most other activities — in mid-March. If not April, this is the optimum time.
The fairways will be green, thanks to overseeded grasses, and of course the bent grass greens will be perfect. Otherwise ... ?
“There won’t be enough time for the overseed base to firm up like they want it,” predicted pro Kevin Kisner, who lives in nearby Aiken. “They’ll have to water more and that will make the course play longer.
“Selfishly, I would have liked to have played (this Masters) in September on bermuda that was firm and fast. Really, I’m as interested as anybody to see how the course plays.”
He would have preferred to play a practice round at Augusta National already, but he said officials asked the players to wait until the weekend before the tournament.
Sebastian Munoz, who will be making his first Masters start, played the course last November and talked about the experience prior to the Sanderson Farms Championship. He planned to play two days in Augusta, but ...
His first day, with a tee time around noon, was excellent. But he called off his 8 a.m. start the second day after temperatures plunged.
He talked about hitting a 5-iron into No. 10, a 3-iron into No. 11 and a 4-iron into 15 — longer clubs than required in April. For context, in winning the 2017 Masters, Sergio Garcia hit an 8-iron second on the par-5 15th.
“I’ve played the course in the fall, but they were preparing for a tournament six months later (in April),” Kisner said. “So it’s going to be different. But I do know one thing: I don’t want a 7:30 a.m. tee time.”
With 96 players and less daylight than in April, officials will send players off the first and 10th tees on Thursday and Friday. With Sunday’s finish scheduled no later than 3 p.m. to make way for CBS’ pro football coverage, a double-tee start is likely on that final day, too.
“There will likely be surprises, things we likely haven’t experienced at Augusta,” Lerner said. “I’ll be interested in the scene, but I think the big component will be no patrons. Masters roars are essential. You hear one and you know, ‘That’s the 16th hole,’ or ‘Jack just eagled No. 13.’
“One thing won’t change: excitement on the second nine on Sunday. We’ll be out of our seats and hear the roars in our minds.”
Most players miss the fans and the buzz the galleries provide, Kisner said. In addition to the missing the “roars” at Augusta, the competitors will miss spectators’ ringing the greens at the Masters and keeping errant shots from straying too long.
“It will be different, but it’s going to be fun,” he said. “I hope we have a great week weather-wise.”
Besides pondering the weather and differences in aesthetics, story-lines abound:
▪ Rory McIlroy needs a Masters win to complete the career Grand Slam.
▪ Can Tiger Woods successfully defend his championship?
▪ Will Bryson DeChambeau make a mockery of the course with his added distance?
▪ Is Jon Rahm ready to strike?
▪ What about Dustin Johnson after being sidelined by the virus?
▪ Will any player have to withdraw after a positive COVID test?
No matter what, Lerner said, “This is the Thanksgiving Masters. Think in terms of gratitude. Think about where the world is (with the pandemic). Then, think about the joy the Masters can provide. There’s just something about Augusta National that’s comforting and reassuring. The Masters is something we know and love.”
About this year’s Masters
- Masters week is Nov. 9-15, with competition Nov. 12-15.
- The 84th Masters begins Thursday, Nov. 12 with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as honorary starters.
- ESPN’s College GameDay will live from Augusta National on Saturday, Nov. 14. The studio will be staged overlooking Ike’s Pond and the 9th green of the Par 3 course.
- The Par 3 contest, traditionally played Wednesday of Masters week, has been canceled.
Masters 2020 TV details
- Thursday, Nov. 12: 1–5:30 p.m., ESPN
- Friday, Nov. 13: 1–5:30 p.m., ESPN
- Saturday, Nov. 14: 1-5 p.m., CBS
- Sunday, Nov. 15: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., CBS
This story was originally published November 3, 2020 at 5:00 AM.