This year, in a break with a tradition unlike any other, the Masters is being played in November. However, no one knows quite how Augusta National will play in the fall, seven months after it was initially scheduled. As golf has proven resilient among professional sports, the Masters is going to be played, but it isn’t going to look or feel like the tournament we are used to.
Course Condition
No one quite knows what Augusta will play like in the fall. The course, which famously closes in the summer, reopens in the fall. What will it be like in November? Will it play firm or will the grass be thinner and the course play soft? It is hard to imagine Augusta as anything less than impeccably conditioned. Remember, this is a course with SubAir systems under the greens to control the firmness of the putting surfaces. Everything about Augusta is carefully considered, so short of having a rainy fall (and November is one of the driest months in Georgia), it might just be cooler than normal for the players.
One thing seems likely—cooler temperatures should make Augusta play longer than normal, a fact backed up by some past champions who frequent the course in the off-season, including Fred Couples. The prevailing winds also shift at that time of the year.
As well, given that it gets dark earlier in November, tournament rounds will have to start sooner each day, though that shouldn’t be a problem given the smaller-than-usual field.
Oh, and those azaleas that bloom in April—Augusta has planted “encore” azaleas that should be in bloom for the tournament.
The Field – Who is in? Who is out? Who are the favourites?
With the invitation list settled back in March, the field is eager to get on the grounds and begin their quest to join golf’s most treasured club. Let’s breakdown who’s playing, who just missed out, and who to watch for come Thursday.
Before the pandemic put the season in a freezer for a few months, Augusta National Golf Club had solidified their field for the 2020 Masters. As usual, those within the top 50 got their invitation, as did past champions, top-4 finishers at the previous three majors, and in the spirit of Bobby Jones, a host of amateurs from around the world got the nod.
And since Masters officials decided on the field back in March, mainly to avoid any further conflicts and scheduling unknowns, some players didn’t get their final few chances to qualify, while others benefited from the hard deadline.
Canadians
You’re going to find four Canadians in the 96-man field— past champion Mike Weir, Adam Hadwin, Corey Conners, and Nick Taylor, who is making his first Masters start, credited by his victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am in February.
Who is missing? The top-ranked Canadian in the world—Mackenzie Hughes, fresh off a great run in the FedExCup. That success will get Hughes into the 2021 Masters, but not the 2020 version.
Bubble Boys
Daniel Berger got the short-end of the stick. After returning to tour from a lengthy medical hiatus that saw his world ranking dip to 106, Berger quickly found his form, taking home a win and amassing several top-10 finishes throughout the truncated season. Berger, now ranked 14th in the world, was outside the top-50 in March when the field was set. As a result, he’ll be watching the telecast at home like the rest of us. Seems inconceivable, no? Well that’s exactly what he thought. “I’m a little baffled,” Berger said in August, “I don’t know if I could say I deserve a spot, but I feel like I’m playing well enough.” Alas, the committees at Augusta aren’t exactly known for their invitational leniency.
On the other end of the spectrum, the luck of the Irish helped Graeme McDowell secure his invite this year. Ranked 51st in the world rankings with one week remaining before the invitations were decided upon, the 2010 US Open champion moved up to 49th position despite the final qualifying event being cancelled.
Berger wins a tournament and will be stuck at home; McDowell was stuck at home and will be in the tournament. Needless to say, 2020 is bonkers.
First Timers
In addition to sharing alliterative names, Abraham Ancer and Cameron Champ will also both be competing in their first Masters this year. Ancer, who’s proven to be one of the more consistent young players on tour, has competed in the other three majors, and will look to make his first start at Augusta even more memorable with a good finish. Champ, whose silky swing and prodigious power makes him a joy to watch, will look to improve on his major record.
However, the favourite among debutants is Matthew Wolff. With a solo-second at the US Open and a T-4 at the PGA Championship, the breakthrough 21-year-old bomber is poised to make a serious run.
Favourites
You simply can’t look past Bryson DeChambeau, whom we’ll call DeChambomb from now on, as one of the favourites heading into the week. He’s testing out a 48-inch driver for Augusta, and is already carrying the ball 400 yards during his at-home prep. Will the US Open champion overpower golf’s most holy of sites? Time will tell, but it seems downright impossible that he won’t be hanging around come the weekend.
Justin Thomas is another player who’s seemingly a lock to contend. Coming off of a second place finish at the ZOZO Championship at Sherwood, the third-ranked player in the world is trending into major form and is expected to improve on his career-best 12th place finish at the Masters.
As for a dark horse pick, take note of Tyrell Hatton. The feisty, often quotable Englishman recently won The BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour’s flagship event, and has been popping up on leaderboards over the past several weeks. He hits a high ball and moves it right-to-left, which has historically been a recipe for success at Augusta.
Defending Champ
Tiger Woods has enjoyed the title of defending champion for an extended seven months, and although he hasn’t played nearly as much golf as his fans would have hoped, it’s never wise to completely write-off a guy whose career has defied odds time and again. However, serious questions on how his back will fare in cooler November conditions remain. Will his Sunday red pair nicely with the autumnal backdrops of Augusta? Time will tell.
