Augusta National Golf Club

Augusta, Georgia

7,435 yards, par 72

Designers: Bobby Jones and Alistar Mackenzie (1930)

Defending champion: Bubba Watson

98 man field; 54 of the top 60 players in the world entered.

72 hole record: 270, Tiger Woods, -18 (1997)

Purse: $9, 000,000; Winner’s share: $1,620,000

Broadcasters: CBS: Jim Nantz, Sir Nick Faldo, David Feherty, Verne Lundquist, Ian Baker Finch and Peter Kostis.

TV:

Thursday, April, 9: ESPN 3 PM-7:30 PM ET/2PM-6:30 PM CT; ESPN: 8PM-11 PM ET/7 PM-10 PM CT.

Friday, April 10: ESPN: 3 PM-7:30 PM ET/2 PM-6:30 PM CT; ESPN: 8PM-11 PM ET;7 PM-10 PM CT.

Saturday: CBS: 3 PM-7 PM ET/2PM-6 PM CT

Sunday: CBS: 2 PM-7 PM ET/1 PM-6 PM CT.

Weather

Kind of warmer:

Thursday: High 89, 30% isolated thunderstorms, wind SW 7 MPH.

Friday: T-storms, 80%, high 86, wind SW 9 MPH.

Saturday: AM clouds, PM sun, 20% rain, high 81, Wind: NE 9 MPH.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy though only 20% rain, high 79 , wind NE 9 MPH.

Key tee times Thursday (Round 1) and Friday (Round 2)

Thursday: 9:02 AM ET/8:02 AM CT/Friday: 12:20 PM ET/11:20 AM CT: Patrick Reed, Keegan Bradley, Ian Poulter.

Thursday: 9:24 AM ET/8:24 AM CT/Friday: 12:42 PM ET/11:42 AM CT: Bubba Watson, Justin Rose, Gunn Yang (amateur).

Thursday: 9:35 AM ET/8:35 AM CT/Friday: 12:53 PM ET/11:53 AM CT: Adam Scott, Dustin Johnson, Antonio Murdaca (Amateur).

Thursday: 10:41 AM ET/9:41 AM CT/Friday: 1:48 PM ET/12:48 PM CT: Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlory, Ryan Moore.

Thursday: 10:52 AM ET/9:52 AM CT/Friday: 1:59 PM ET/12:59 PM CT: J.B. Holmes, Martin Kaymer, Brandt Snedeker.

Thursday: 12:09 PM ET/11:09 AM CT/Friday: 8:40 AM ET/7:40 AM CT: Zach Johnson, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els

Thursday: 12:20 PM ET/11:20 AM CT/ Friday:8:51 AM ET/7:51 AM CT: Angel Cabrera, Louis Oosthuizen, Matias Dominguez (Amateur).

Thursday: 1:04 PM ET/12:04 PM CT/Friday: 9:35 AM ET/8:35 AM CT: Matt Kuchar, Brooks Koepka, Graeme McDowell

Thursday: 1:15 PM ET/12:15 PM CT/Friday: 9:57 AM ET/8:57 AM CT: Jordan Spieth, Henrik Stenson, Billy Horschel.

Thursday: 1:48 PM ET/12:48 PM CT/Friday: 10:30 AM ET/9:30 AM CT: Tiger Woods, Jamie Donaldson, Jimmy Walker.

 

 Key Holes

The Backside of Augusta National on Sunday

No.10: Par 4, 495 yards

A long hole that can play shorter if the drive catches the slope in the fairway. The second shot is critical here as the player hits to a green that is sloping right to left. Short right is in the sand trap and is a difficult up and down for par. Two of the most famous shots on this hole were Bubba Watson’s wedge that he hooked 40 yards out of the woods on his second shot which led to a 10 foot birdie putt in the playoff hole which he two putted for his first Green Jacket in 2012 in his playoff victory over Louis Oosthuizen. Adam Scott’s 15 foot birdie putt in 2013 clinched his playoff victory over Angel Cabrera, the 2009 champion.

No.11: Par 4 505 yards

The beginning of Amen Corner (holes 11-13), this hole is a difficult, long par 4, that puts a premium on your approach shot. If he misses to the left of the green, the player is in the water. A lot of players will bail out to the right and try to get an up and down par. Par is a good score here. Larry Mize’s famous chip in from 90 feet in a playoff with Greg Norman in 1987 was one of the most memorable Masters’ moments in the history of the tournament. To me, this is the toughest hole on the course.

No.12: Par 3, 155 yards

This hole always tests a player’s focus and resolve as there is almost always a prevailing wind that is either in the players face or at his back. Club selection and calm under the storm are at a premium here. Fred Couples caught a huge break in 1992 on this hole when his ball held up on the bank and didn’t go into Rae’s Creek off his tee shot, which would have been devastating. He got up and down and went on to win his only major title, though he also won 14 other times, including the 1996 Players Championship, which the players consider the fifth major. Still, this was his crowning achievement in golf.

No.13: Par 5, 510

An accurate tee shot to the center of the fairway sets up a player to go for it over a tributary of Rae’s Creek that fronts the green. The second shot is another under the gun, clutchness challenge. There are four bunkers behind the putting surface. Short can be devastating. Long can make for a difficult up and down for birdie. Birdie can be pretty critical here on Sunday for the players chasing and for the player who is leading. One of the key moments in Masters  history was Phil Mickelson’s six iron out of the pine straw and through the trees to four feet. He missed his eagle putt, but he birdied, which helped him clinch his third Green Jacket.

No.14:  Par 4, 440 yards

This is the only hole on the course without bunkers, but players must avoid trees on the left and right off the tee. The green is severely contoured and feeds the ball to the right. Phil holed out for eagle here on Saturday in 2010 during an eagle-eagle-birdie stretch that helped him get into the final group on Sunday in his victory that year.

No.15: Par 5, 530 yards

A cluster of pines on the right side of the fairway is coming into play so accuracy (being down the middle) is critical off the tee. The green can be reached in two with a good tee shot, but there is a pond in the front guarding the green and a bunker on the right side of the green. Even for those players laying up, the third shot requires a precision wedge. Tiger Woods was one shot back of the lead in 2013 when his wedge hit the flagstick and caromed into the water. He went back and dropped but there was a controversy on where he dropped the ball. He made bogey, but his incorrect drop was not discovered until after the round. He was allowed to stay in the tournament because of a committee error. Woods finished tied for fourth.

No.16: Par 3, 170 yards

The hole plays entirely over water and eventually bends to the left. Two bunkers guard the right side of the green and the green slopes significantly from right to left. The pin on Sunday is typically back and on the lower shelf, so pars from the top shelf of the green are rare. Tiger Woods amazing chip in 2005 in which his ball took a U turn and rolled toward the hole taking two seconds before dropping in the cup which gave him a two shot lead over Chris DiMarco and the victory is one of the more memorable shots in Masters history, but there are so many.

No.17: Par 4, 440 yards

The tee shot is easier because the Eisenhower tree was lost to an ice storm in 2014. The green is protected by two bunkers in front. Jack sank his final birdie from 12 feet in 1986 to secure his 18th and final major at age 46. “Yes Sir!”

N0.18: Par 4 465 yards

One of the most demanding finishing holes in golf, this uphill dogleg right is protected off the tee by two deep bunkers down the fairway to the left about 280-285 yards out. The drive is through a chute between two sets of trees on the player’s right and left sides. A middle iron is required on a highly tension filled approach shot. There is a bunker in front and on the right side of the green. Adam Scott birdied here in 2013 from 25 feet and Angel Cabrera followed him up with a birdie from four feet to set up a playoff which Scott won on No.10, the first playoff hole. It was a clutch city performance by both players.

Contenders

Jimmy Walker

Playing lights out right now. Two victories at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January, and two weeks ago in San Antonio. Great striker of the ball, long and a highly clutch putter. Doesn’t make mistakes when he has the lead. If he has the lead on Sunday on the backside, he could very well close it out.

Patrick Reed

Won at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions  in Hawaii in January and is always in the hunt. He does everything well and thrives under pressure.

J.B. Holmes

He’s playing very well fresh off his victory at the Shell Houston Open. Certainly has the length, he’s large off the tee, and he’s mentally strong and can handle the pressure. If he putts well, he can win.

Brandt Snedeker

Plays Augusta National well. He is one of  the best putters on tour, along with the winner listed below, when he is on.  And while he’s not exceptionally long, he’s gotten longer in the last year and can get out there 300+ at times and he has been very accurate with his driver in the last three years. Really wants this, and should be a factor come Sunday.

Rory McIlroy

Will be right there. Does everything well. It comes down to his putting on these lightning fast greens that will probably be 13 or 14 on the Stimpmeter on Sunday. If he sinks a lot of putts he could get the career grand slam at Augusta National.

Tiger Woods

Tiger could do pretty well, too, maybe a top 10 or even a top 5, but I don’t see him winning his 15th major at Augusta National. Will be a factor though.

The 79th Masters champion:

This young man banged on the door last year, and this year I say he knocks it down. He’s the hottest player in golf right now, with his play being outrageously good since he won the Australian Open at the end of November 2014. He putts better than anybody in the game, particularly in the clutch, his chipping is outstanding, and he’s accurate most of the time with his drives and approaches, though he can have some wayward drives at times. But he seems to make up for any wildness off the tee with his stellar short game. He’s not incredibly long, but he can hit some out there, too. Kind of deceptively long. I like this 21 year old out of Dallas to capture his first of what could be a multiple-major career. And this one is the crown jewel for all the players. Jordan wins at 10 under par.

 Jordan Spieth