Augusta National was severely affected by Hurricane Helene in September, losing several trees, including some surrounding the 16th green.
While Rory McIlroy expects the course to play as it always does this week at the 2025 Masters, the four-time major winner, who has made several practice visits to Augusta National in recent weeks, believes the tree loss could affect two tee shots.
“There are a couple of tee shots that are perhaps a little less visually intimidating,” McIlroy said on Tuesday at Augusta National. “Take the tee shot on 10, for example, with some of the tree loss on the left side. Your target there is that TV or camera tower down at the bottom of the hill. You used to not be able to see it, but now it’s quite clear. Visually, it feels like you don’t have to shape the ball as much as before. There’s also a bit more room on the right side of three if you want to hit a driver up there. A couple of overhanging trees that were there are gone now.”
McIlroy has previously noted that the loss of trees around the 16th green, which had to be reworked due to a fallen tree, caught his attention.
“The loss of a few trees is definitely noticeable,” McIlroy said. “They’ve had to redo that green, but it’s exactly the same as it was. The hole will play—apart from perhaps a few fewer shadows on the green late in the day because of a couple of trees that were lost—pretty much the same.”
Jon Rahm hadn’t played the course as of Tuesday morning, but he has heard murmurs of the visual differences on certain holes, particularly No. 10.
“Someone told me you can hit a high cut over the cabins on 10. I don’t believe it,” Rahm said, laughing. “I can’t see how so many trees could have fallen to make that possible. And after saying this, I’m fairly sure there’ll be a tree right there next to the tee tomorrow morning. The one thing I’ve heard from members is that if you’ve been here before, you can tell there’s a difference. When you look down the property, you can see a little further. It doesn’t necessarily play significantly differently, but visually there is a change.”
McIlroy will tee off on Thursday afternoon at 18:12 BST alongside Ludvig Åberg and Akshay Bhatia. Rahm will follow two groups later with Wyndham Clark and Tommy Fleetwood.
While the loss of trees might allow players to see things that were previously obscured, the course will play as it always does: tough and exacting.
McIlroy wouldn’t have it any other way.
“You’re going to face shots and putts on this golf course that you don’t necessarily encounter every other week of the year,” McIlroy said. “That’s where I think the most thought and time have to be invested—just ensuring you’re comfortable with that part of your game.
“I’ve always loved this course. People ask me, ‘If you could only play one golf course for the rest of your life, what would it be?’ And I think walking around this place every day would be rather special.”
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