Augusta National has been evacuated on Monday as thunderstorms close in ahead of The Masters.
Practice rounds have been suspended and patrons have been ordered to evacuate the grounds, with heavy rain forecast throughout the day.
“Due to inclement weather conditions, Augusta National Golf Club was forced to suspend Monday’s practice round and evacuate the grounds at 11:25 a.m,” the club said in a statement.
Golfers have been arriving at Augusta National over the past 24 hours with the intention of fine-tuning their games ahead of the year’s first major championship, but rain has already taken hold and there is a 90 per cent chance of storms through 6 p.m. ET.
Although the likes of Rory McIlroy have made reconnaissance trips to Augusta in recent weeks, many others counted on Monday to acquaint themselves with the courses’s nuances – something made all the more important given the different looks around the course this year as a result of numerous trees being by Hurricane Helene in the fall.
(Image: Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
On Sunday, Augusta National announced it would not open its gates to patrons as scheduled on Monday due to the forecast. The gates did eventually open at 8 a.m. ET, but their stay on the grounds was short-lived due to a risk of thunderstorms in the area.
The weather is set to take a turn for the better on Tuesday, with fair conditions predicted for the rest of the week. However, there may be a few showers during Friday’s second round, according to forecasts.
Practice rounds will resume on Tuesday, followed by Wednesday’s par-three contest. And the waiting will finally be over on Thursday when Scottie Scheffler will begin his defense of the green jacket.
Scheffler bagged his second Masters title a year ago, and the world No. 1 is once again the favorite to win the tournament. The 28-year-old is expected to face tough competition from the likes of Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm.
World No. 2 McIlroy, in particular, has been in fine form in 2025, winning twice on the PGA Tour before April for the first time in his career. But he will have to overcome a decade of Augusta demons and other major championships as he aims to break his agonizing drought on the biggest stage.
It’s been an eventful start to the week at Augusta, with 2000 champion Vijay Singh pulling out on Monday due to injury, leaving 95 players in the field.
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
