One of the strangest years ever is about to get a little stranger. Just two weeks before Thanksgiving, the 2020 Masters will be contested at Augusta National Golf Club. There will be no fans, no pimento cheese sandwiches and no eagle roars. But the show will go on, albeit in a much, much different manner.
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the 2020 Masters.
When is the 2020 Masters?
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Masters was rescheduled from April 9-12 to Nov. 12-15.
Will there be patrons at the 2020 Masters?
In August, Augusta National announced that there would not be any fans in attendance at the 2020 Masters due to COVID-19.
Where is the Masters played?
The Masters is played each year at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. It’s the only one of the four men’s major championships that is played every year on the same course.
Has the Masters ever been played in November?
No, the Masters has always been a spring event, normally in the first or second week of April. Since 1945, no Masters round has ever been played later than April 15.
What will the weather be like for a November Masters?
The very early forecast for the 2020 Masters calls for temperatures in the low to mid-70s. There is a 40 percent chance of rain on Thursday and Friday, while it’s expected to be sunny and 71 degrees on Saturday and Sunday.
Will the course play differently during November?
Yes, due to colder temperatures the course should play longer and softer.
Will the course look different?
Judging by this recent transformation, ANGC should look as green as ever. But the many different types of trees on the property could look very different color-wise. As for the azaleas, whether or not they’ll be in full bloom remains to be seen. Something tells us the folks at Augusta will find a way, though.
What about daylight savings?
Thanks to the switch back to standard time over Halloween weekend, which means less afternoon daylight, this year’s television schedule for the Masters is going to look a lot different. On Thursday and Friday, the sun will rise at 6:57 a.m. EST and set at 5:25 p.m. On Saturday, it will rise at 6:58 a.m. and set at 5:25 p.m. On Sunday, it will rise at 6:53 a.m. and set at 5:24 p.m.
In order to complete the first two rounds before sunset, players will go off the first and 10th tees. Television coverage will begin at 1 p.m. EST and conclude at 5 p.m. on ESPN for each of the first two rounds. On Saturday, CBS will provide third-round coverage starting a 1 p.m. and concluding at 5 p.m. On Sunday, CBS’ final-round coverage will begin at 10 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. in order to finish before the 4 p.m. NFL games.
Will there be a Par 3 Contest on Wednesday?
One of the Masters’ greatest traditions, the Wednesday Par 3 Contest, first held in 1960, will not be played in 2020. Augusta National chariman Fred Ridley made the announcement in October, stating that the Par 3 Contest experience could not be replicated without the patrons in attendance.
However, the Augusta National Par 3 course will be utilized in a unique way. On Saturday morning, the Par 3 course will be the site of ESPN’s “College Gameday.” The popular college football pregame show will air live from beside the ninth green beginning at 9 a.m. and concluding at noon, leading in to third-round coverage at 1 p.m. on CBS. CBS’ marquee SEC game, normally played at 3:30 p.m. every Saturday, will kickoff at 6 p.m.
Will there be other ways to watch the Masters besides ESPN and CBS?
Yes, as always, there will be live featured group and featured holes coverage on Masters.com. Viewers will also be able to see every shot from every hole, just like they were able to in 2019, on Masters.com. This year, the website will also allow you to build a personalized feed of every shot from your favorite players.
Will there still be a Champions Dinner this year?
According to defending champion Tiger Woods, the Champions Dinner is still on schedule despite COVID-19. When asked about it following the Zozo Championship, Woods told reporters that the dinner will be held but not in it’s normal place upstairs in the clubhouse. “I think we’re going to have it downstairs where there’s more room so we can be socially distant,” Woods said.
What is the Champions Dinner?
The Champions Dinner is held Tuesday night of Masters week, and the only way to get in is to be a past champion of the Masters. It was started in 1952 by Ben Hogan. Tradition calls for the previous year’s champion to set the dinner menu each new year.
Who founded Augusta National, and who designed it?
Augusta National was founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts. The course was designed by Jones and Alister MacKenzie.
What’s the par at Augusta National, and how long is the course?
Augusta National is a par 72, and it has been lengthened considerably in recent years, stretching out to 7,475 yards.
When was the first Masters played? And who won?
The first Masters was played in 1934, and Horton Smith won by two strokes with a score of four-under-par 284.
How many Masters have been played?
This year will mark the 84th playing of the Masters.
Is the 2021 Masters still on schedule?
Yes, the 2021 remains on schedule for April 5-11, meaning there will be two green jackets handed out in a span of five months.
What is the format of the Masters? How many players are in the field?
The Masters is a 72-hole stroke play event contested over four days. The field is one of the smaller ones on the PGA Tour schedule, typically featuring between 90-100 players. The 2020 Masters field includes 96 players.
How do you qualify for the Masters?
There are no qualifying tournaments for the Masters, and no alternate spots in the field. Players qualify for the Masters by invitation only, if they fulfill one of the 19 criteria, which can be found here at Masters.com. There are special exemptions, which are rarely given out. This year, the field consists of the players who originally qualified for the April Masters. That means you won’t be seeing Daniel Berger or Viktor Hovland at Augusta, as neither met the qualifying criteria in time for the April Masters.
How many players make the cut at the Masters?
In order to make the cut after 36 holes, players must be in the top 50 places, counting ties. Those within 10 strokes of the lead also make the cut.
What is the purse for the Masters, and how much does the winner get?
The official Masters purse is announced during Masters week. In 2019, the total purse was $11.5 million, with the winner receiving $2 million for the first time in tournament history.
How much does the runner-up get?
In 2019, the Masters runners-up (Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka) received $858,666.67 each. Any player that finishes inside the top 25 earns a minimum of $100,000.
Does the Masters winner receive anything else?
Yes, the winner receives a sterling replica of the Masters trophy, a gold medal and the club’s green jacket, which was first given out in 1949.
Do you get a new green jacket if you win the Masters again?
No, a player that wins the Masters multiple times receives the same green jacket from his initial win, unless he needs to be refitted.
In the event of a tie at the end of 72 holes, how is the winner decided at the Masters?
If players are tied after 72 holes, the winner is decided in a sudden-death playoff, beginning at the 18th hole and going to the 10th hole if necessary. If it goes to a third hole, it would go back to the 18th. Prior to 1979, tournaments that ended in a tie were decided by an 18-hole playoff.
How many sudden-death playoffs have there been in Masters history?
There have been 11 sudden-death playoffs in Masters history, and none of them have ever advanced past two holes. The last came in 2017, when Sergio Garcia held off Justin Rose.
Who won the 2019 Masters?
Tiger Woods won the 2019 Masters for his 15th major championship and his fifth green jacket. Only Jack Nicklaus has won the Masters more times (six), and Woods’ victory put him within three majors of Nicklaus’ career major record of 18.
Is Tiger Woods playing in the Masters this year?
Yes, Woods will be in the field to defend his Masters title.
When did Tiger Woods win his first Masters?
Tiger Woods won his first Masters in 1997 at the age of 21. He is still the youngest player to ever win the Masters.
Has any player ever won back-to-back Masters?
Yes, three players have defended their title at the Masters, Jack Nicklaus (1965-1966), Nick Faldo (1989-1990) and Tiger Woods (2001-2002).
What is the scoring record at the Masters?
Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth share the lowest 72-hole score in Masters history, which is 18-under (270). Woods did it in 1997, and Spieth in 2015.
What is the largest margin of victory at the Masters?
Tiger Woods’ victory in 1997 was by 12 strokes, which is the largest margin of victory in Masters history.
What’s the highest winning score of the Masters?
The highest winning score of the Masters is one-over-par 289. Three players have won at one over: Sam Snead (1954), Jack Burke, Jr. (1956) and Zach Johnson (2007).
Has anyone ever won the Masters wire-to-wire?
Yes, five players have won the Masters wire-to-wire: Craig Wood (1941), Arnold Palmer (1960), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Raymond Floyd (1976) and Jordan Spieth (2015).
Has an amateur ever won the Masters?
No, an amateur has never won the Masters.
Does the low amateur receive an award?
Yes, each year the lowest amateur to make the cut is awarded with the Silver Cup, which was first given in 1952. In 1954, they also began presenting a silver medal to the second-lowest amateur.
What’s the closest an amateur has ever come to winning the Masters?
Three players have finished runner-up at the Masters: Frank Stranahan (1947), Ken Venturi (1956) and Charles Coe (1961).
What is the amateur scoring record at the Masters?
The amateur scoring record is seven-under-par (281), shot by Charles Coe in 1961.
Who is the youngest player to ever play in the Masters?
The youngest player to ever play in the Masters is China’s Tianlang Guan, who competed in the event in 2013 at the age of 14, having qualified by winning the 2012 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. He’s also the youngest player to ever make the cut in a major championship.
Will the Augusta National Women’s Amateur be played?
In April, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley announced that the Augusta National Women’s Amateur would not be played in November. Last year, the event debuted the week before the Masters and was a huge success. It remains on schedule for 2021, and any woman who was invited to the 2020 tournament will be eligible, provided she is still an amateur.
Will the Drive, Chip and Putt Competition be played?
In addition to the Par 3 Contest and the ANWA, the Drive, Chip and Putt competition was also canceled for the November Masters, but is scheduled to be played in 2021.
What is Magnolia Lane?
Magnolia Lane is the main driveway leading from Washington Road to Augusta National’s clubhouse. It’s called Magnolia Lane because there are Magnolia trees lined on each side the entire way to the clubhouse.
What is Amen Corner?
Amen Corner is the name for a three-hole stretch of the course beginning with the par-4 11th hole, and including the par-3 12th and par-5 13th. The term was coined by author Herbert Warren Wind when he used it in a 1958 Sports Illustrated article, specifically referring to the approach shot on the 11th, the entire 12th hole and the first two shots on the 13th. This “corner” of the golf course is where some of the tournament’s most historic moments have taken place.
What is Rae’s Creek?
Rae’s Creek is a creek that cuts through the southeast corner of Augusta National, flowing along the back of the 11th green, front of the 12th green and ahead of the 13th tee.
What is the Crow’s Nest?
The Crow’s Nest is a cabin on the property of Augusta National open to any amateur in the Masters field that wants to stay there.
What is Butler Cabin?
Butler Cabin is a cabin on the property where the winner of the Masters is presented with the green jacket, put on him by the previous year’s champion. The field’s low amateur to make the cut is also present during the presentation, as well as CBS’s Jim Nantz.
Who is Jeff Knox?
Jeff Knox is a member at Augusta National, and he is known for often playing in the Masters some years as a “marker”. This means when a player withdraws and the field is uneven, Knox will play alongside one of the competitors for pace of play purposes. He’s somewhat of a legend because of how good of a player he is himself.
How many world rankings points does the winner of the Masters receive?
The winner of the Masters receives 100 world ranking points.
How many FedEx Cup points does the Masters winner receive?
The winner of the Masters receives 600 FedEx Cup points.
How much do Masters tickets cost?
Augusta National would prefer you call them “badges,” and depending on the day, Masters badges can range from anywhere between $500 and $1,500 on the secondary market. Or, you can take your chances and sign up for the yearly Masters ticket lottery, which can get you much cheaper tickets if you are selected.
Will 2020 Masters tickets be honored in 2021?
Fans who successfully acquired tickets to the 2020 Masters were offered the exact same tickets for 2021 by Augusta National, with their initial payments being applied to the new badges. Of course, it’s still too early to know if fans will be able to attend in 2021.
How many people attend the Masters?
One of the many pieces of information Augusta National doesn’t make public is the attendance size of the Masters.
Can you play Augusta National?
No. Augusta National is a private club only open to members and their guests.