How the Masters will look after the ‘devastating event’, Augusta chairman explains

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley says he thinks players and patrons won’t see any change in conditions at this year’s tournament after the hurricane that hit the course last September.

But off course, Ridley said, are an indefinite number of trees.

Ridley’s comments came on Thursday at Pilar Golf Club in Argentina, host of this week’s Latin American Amateur Championship, an event founded by the Masters, the USGA and the R&A. Ridley was asked how Hurricane Helene had an impact Augusta Nationaland how it would affect the Masters, which starts on April 10.

“In terms of impact, long-term impact, we don’t have as many trees as we did a year ago,” Ridley said. “As for the golf course, it’s in spectacular condition. I think we had a little bit of damage to the course, the playing surfaces themselves, but we were able to get it back in shape, but I don’t think you’ll see any change in the condition for the Masters this year.”

In his response, Ridley said he was also proud of the way Augusta National responded after the storm.

“Hurricane Helene,” he said, “was really a devastating event for the Augusta community and for a number of communities in the Southeast, especially in western North Carolina, which I know you’ve probably read about. We suffered enough impact from the hurricane and just like the whole community.

“I think what I’m most proud of is the response of our entire organization to that natural disaster, which is really what it was. And not only what they did to get Augusta National back in shape, but more importantly, how they got together with the Augusta community and really helped because there were many, many people – many of our people were out of their homes for a large number. for weeks. There is no electricity. The community had no water for a while. So I’m really proud of how our entire organization responded to that.”

Ridley’s comments followed those given in releases on September 28 and October 3, and in a press conference on October 2. The first noted he damage at Augusta National was being assessed after Helene tore through the region, bringing strong winds and severe flooding and leaving thousands of Augusta residents without power.

Statement of October 3 said Augusta National, in partnership with the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area, was donating $5 million to the Hurricane Helen Community Crisis Fund. The release also said Augusta National was making a contribution to support response and recovery efforts led by the American Red Cross and other local community partners.

“I was in Augusta in the days immediately following the storm and saw firsthand its devastating impact,” Ridley said in that statement. “Our employees, neighbors, friends and business owners need — and deserve — immediate and meaningful help to overcome the hardships being experienced right now across Augusta.

“Augusta National and the Community Foundation each take to heart our obligation to care for our community. Our goal is to make a difference when it’s needed most, and our hope is that our gift can inspire others to help or ask how they can contribute to this critical mission.”

On October 2 in Japan, as first reported BY Golf Digest’s Evin PriestRidley also said the Masters date will not change. He was speaking at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, an event founded by the Masters, the R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Federation.

“As far as the golf course, it was really affected as was the rest of the community,” Ridley said in response to a question. “There has been a lot of damage and we have a lot of people working hard to get us back up and running. We don’t know exactly what that means, but I can tell you, if it’s humanly possible, we’ll be back in business sooner rather than later.”

Notably, Augusta National has suffered weather damage before. A powerful ice storm hit the celebrities of the club The Eisenhower Tree in the winter of 2014, and a storm during the 2023 Masters sent a pair of trees tumbling 17th tee. In both cases there were no injuries.

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