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The Masters Delay
The commencement of the prestigious Masters tournament has been rescheduled to 10:30 a.m. local time on Thursday at Augusta National due to inclement weather conditions that posed a threat to the immaculate course grounds. Fortunately, the bulk of heavy rain and winds bypassed the area, veering south of the tournament site.
Tournament Schedule
Organizers have communicated that the gates for spectators will now open at 9:30 a.m., a delay of two hours from the regular timing. Following this, golf legends Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, and Gary Player are set to tee off with their ceremonial first shots at 10:10 a.m. on the iconic Tea Olive hole at Augusta National.
The first official group, consisting of Erik van Rooyen and Jake Knapp, is scheduled to start, with featured groups taking to the course in the ensuing hours. Notable players like defending champion Jon Rahm, former U.S. Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick, and young talent Nick Dunlap are slated to begin at 1 p.m., immediately followed by star-studded groupings that include Hideki Matsuyama, Will Zalatoris, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Rory McIlroy.
The legendary Tiger Woods is expected to commence his round alongside Jason Day and Max Homa at 3:45 p.m. Subsequently, fan-favorites Jordan Spieth, Ludvig Aberg, and Sahith Theegala will tee off, with Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa, and Tommy Fleetwood rounding off the first day’s proceedings at 4:30 p.m.
Weather Implications
The delayed start indicates that players beginning their rounds later in the day may struggle to complete their full round before nightfall. In the event that players are unable to conclude their rounds, they will resume play on Friday morning to finish their opening rounds.
This weather setback comes after a storm system affected the southeastern United States, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds early on Thursday. Despite this prediction being anticipated throughout the week, Augusta National managed to escape the worst of the storm, unlike the previous year when torrential rain disrupted tournament play.
During the previous year’s Masters, adverse weather conditions led to trees falling on the course, resulting in delays that extended the tournament into the weekend. Despite these challenges, Jon Rahm emerged victorious, staging a remarkable comeback on the final day to secure the coveted green jacket by overcoming a significant deficit.
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