Players get first taste of Augusta National with no fans, November course conditions

Webb Simpson’s second shot into Augusta National’s ninth green sailed wide. Kevin Kisner, always quick with a quip, noted, “If there were fans here, that would have taken someone’s head off.”

That scenario Tuesday, in preparation for the 84th Masters that begins Thursday, emphasizes the obvious: The moved-to-November major golf championship will be a venture into the unknown.

Players conducted their normal pre-tournament routine Tuesday, hitting shots — and especially putts — they expect to encounter over the next few days. Rickie Fowler worked on distance control from a bunker on No. 9, and Kisner sent putts past the hole and used the green’s slope to bring the ball close to the cup.

But having no fans present means no roars to appreciate great shots and no moans to commiserate with near misses. And, Kisner said, “I miss that. There’s no energy from the patrons and I feed on that energy.”

That just one of the differences at this Masters, rescheduled from its traditional April date due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Augusta National course in November plays differently than in the spring.

“Long, long, long,” Kisner said. “I’ve found out (in practice rounds) that I should have been hitting 3- and 4-irons instead of 5s on the range. The course plays longer anyway this time of year, and the rain just adds to the length.”

In addition, Kisner said the bermuda grasses that thrive in heat have not gone totally dormant yet and the overseed has not fully grown in, a combination that changes shots around the greens.

“I expect more guys will be using their putters from just off the greens,” he said. “Chipping will be more challenging. You’ve got to miss (approach shots) in the right place; you don’t want to have to hit a high lob off this turf.”

Kisner will start off the 10th tee at 7:22 Thursday morning, which would not be his choice of tees or times to start a major championship. “That’s not a cool tee shot” to begin a round, he said. “Then again, I shot my best round ever at the Masters (3-under-par 69) going off No. 10 on Sunday last year.”

He wrapped up his on-site preparation Tuesday, playing nine holes with Simpson, Fowler and Bubba Watson. With rain in the forecast of Wednesday — and the rest of the week — he will stay at his Aiken home, “hit some shots at Palmetto, come back Thursday and hope we can get the tournament in in four days.”

Augusta Ga weather forecast

According to the National Weather Service

• Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 80. South wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
• Friday: A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
• Saturday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
• Sunday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

When is the Masters on TV?

• Thursday. 1–5:30 p.m., ESPN
• Friday: 1–5:30 p.m., ESPN
• Saturday: 1-5 p.m., CBS
• Sunday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., CBS

Masters Tee Times

At Augusta National Golf Club

All Times Eastern (a-amateur)

Thursday-Friday, First Hole-10th Hole

7 a.m.-11:05 a.m. — Lucas Glover, United States;Corey Conners, Canada;C.T. Pan, Taiwan.

7:11 a.m.-11:16 a.m. — Brandt Snedeker, United States;Charles Howell III, United States;Jazz Janewattananond, Thailand.

7:22 a.m.-11:27 a.m. — Larry Mize, United States;Andrew Landry, United States;a-Lukas Michel, Australia.

7:33 a.m.-11:38 a.m. — Matt Kuchar, United States;Lee Westwood, England;Kevin Na, United States.

7:44 a.m.-11:49 a.m. — Xander Schauffele, United States;Jason Kokrak, United States;Henrik Stenson, Sweden.

7:55 a.m.-Noon — Charl Schwartzel, South Africa;Jason Day, Australia;a-Abel Gallegos, Argentina.

8:06 a.m.-12:11 p.m. — Vijay Singh, Fiji;Lanto Griffin, United States;Tyler Duncan, United States.

8:17 a.m.-12:22 p.m. — Mike Weir, Canada;Rafa Cabrera Bello, Spain;Matt Wallace, England.

10th Hole-First Hole

7 a.m.-11:05 a.m. — Sandy Lyle, Scotland;Jimmy Walker, United States;a-Yuxin Lin, China.

7:11 a.m.-11:16 a.m. — Webb Simpson, United States;Marc Leishman, Australia;Hideki Matsuyama, Japan.

7:22 a.m.-11:27 a.m. — Kevin Kisner, United States;Adam Hadwin, Canada;Scottie Scheffler, United States.

7:33 a.m.-11:38 a.m. — Jon Rahm, Spain;Bryson DeChambeau, United States;Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa.

7:44 a.m.-11:49 a.m. — Patrick Reed, United States;Paul Casey, England;Tony Finau, United States.

7:55 a.m.-Noon — Tiger Woods, United States;Shane Lowry, Ireland;a-Andy Ogletree, United States.

8:06 a.m.-12:11 p.m. — Jordan Spieth, United States;Gary Woodland, United States;Ian Poulter, England.

8:17 a.m.-12:22 p.m. — Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland;Si Woo Kim, South Korea;Nate Lashley, United States.

First Hole-10th Hole

11:05 a.m.-7 a.m. — Sung Kang, South Korea;Erik van Rooyen, South Africa.

11:16 a.m.-7:11 a.m. — Danny Willett, England;Rickie Fowler, United States;a-John Augenstein, United States.

11:27 a.m.-7:22 a.m. — Phil Mickelson, United States;Abraham Ancer, Mexico;Bernd Wiesberger, Austria.

11:38 a.m.-7:33 a.m. — Adam Scott, Australia;Collin Morikawa, United States;Tyrrell Hatton, England.

11:49 a.m.-7:44 a.m. — Justin Thomas, United States;Matthew Fitzpatrick, England;Brooks Koepka, United States.

Noon-7:55 a.m. — Dustin Johnson, United States;Patrick Cantlay, United States;Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland.

12:11 p.m.-8:06 a.m. — Zach Johnson, United States;Justin Rose, England;Cameron Champ, United States.

12:22 p.m.-8:17 a.m. — Victor Perez, France;Sungjae Im, South Korea;Brendon Todd, United States.

10th Hole-First Hole

11:05 a.m.-7 a.m. — Justin Harding, South Africa;Shugo Imahira, Japan;Nick Taylor, Canada.

11:16 a.m.-7:11 a.m. — Chez Reavie, United States;Sebastian Munoz, Colombia;Byeong Hun An, South Korea.

11:27 a.m.-7:22 a.m. — Bubba Watson, United States;Matthew Wolff, United States;Tommy Fleetwood, England.

11:38 a.m.-7:33 a.m. — Francesco Molinari, Italy;Billy Horschel, United States;Cameron Smith, Australia.

11:49 a.m.-7:44 a.m. — Bernhard Langer, Germany;J.T. Poston, United States;Christiaan Bezuidenhout, South Africa.

Noon-7:55 a.m. — Fred Couples, United States;Max Homa, United States;Dylan Frittelli, South Africa.

12:11 p.m.-8:06 a.m. — Jose Maria Olazabal, Spain;Andrew Putnam, United States;a-James Sugrue, Ireland.