Phil Mickelson tells epic stories about the cleaning of Augusta’s national tree

One of the prevailing stories in recent years about Augusta National has been trees … and how they are not standing straight.

Two years ago, there were large winds that threw three trees during the tournament, slamming into the 17th hole in what was a Very dangerous event. Thankfully, no one was injured. Last year, much more important damage occurred when the Hellenic hurricane rolled through the southeast. In its wake, and despite issues much more important than the health of a golf course, Hellenic has changed the appearance of Augusta NationalIf sometimes so little.

But if there is anything we know for sure about the most famous golf club in the world, is that they have a maintenance and agronomy staff like no one else – and one that is immediately put into action. The three -time Masters Champion Phil Mickelson offered a reminder of that Wednesday.

During a press conference in front of the Liv Miami tournament, Mickelson was asked if he had visited the course this spring. He said he did not have it, but then he was thrown to share a story about the fall of mass trees. “I will give you a little story Augusta, if I can, while we have a minute,” he started.

“Talking about the trees that were falling, I was playing a round of practice there a year. It was two weeks before the tournament. Maybe no one knows it happened. Two weeks before the tournament, I’m playing the 11th hole, I’m again lining up in my slap, and I see this tree on the left, in the middle of the first road – the root. Jard away.

“At the time I had walked from my shoot on the highway, I could hear in Walkie-Talkie Get down from 2, go to 11, Get down 4, go to 11. And these – hundreds of workers, I don’t know how much – there were a number of workers gathering, COMPETITION For this tree, firing the saw and the saw, began to shorten this. “

He calls on the reaction in 2023. The second round of the tournament was developing when those trees fell into the 17th hole. Fortunately, there was a gap between the bands and no player was in the hole at the time. But almost immediately after the trees had fallen, the game was suspended for the day and the patrons were asked to leave the property. Competitors went into the club, photographers and the media were asked to stay in the media center, and those electric saws were raised and ran within minutes.

I had rushed down on stage for Incidentand could not get within 100 yards. A ladder was taken out to remove 15 legs or more of the tree still under cracks. The rain cannot moisten the smell of fresh sawdust in the air. But at the time when everyone returned the next morning, maybe 12 hours later, it was as if nothing had happened. Mickelson’s experience is quite similar.

“So now the limbs,” he continued, “by the time I left 11 green, all the tree limbs were cut and wearing a truck, in the back of these carts. By the time I arrived at 15, I looked down, they were cutting the luggage, and the whole tree was behaving.

“By the time I was done and turned to 18 tee and I looked down, they were re-burialing the highway. Like no one knew, you couldn’t show two days later it had happened. I just thought, if my house course-it would still be there three weeks later, and they had removed it.

To track that schedule conservatively, it sounds like within 20 minutes, Angc had sawn saws removing all the trees, and within an hour the main luggage sections were closing. Within two hours, the new soda was brought to collect the ground and make it as close as possible to the original conditions.

In other words, yes, there should be some minor appearance changes in Augusta National this year, but Mickelson ended with an 11 -word statement that feels like the final truth.

“I’m sure the course will be in great condition.”