US Masters for November

Augusta National golf course, the venue for the US Masters, which will now be held in November.

The United States Masters is to be held in November.

The tournament is normally held in the first full week of April. The tournament is normally the first of the four major championships. 

Now it will be the last of three majors with The Open Championship in England postponed to next year.

The new dates for the US Masters at Augusta National in Georgia are November 12-15.

The weather in Georgia will be much cooler than April and that could make for much tougher scoring.

Zach Johnson, in 2007, won on a cold, windy week with a score of one over 289. It was the first over-par winning score at Augusta National in four decades.

The course will likely play longer and softer in November. It could result in few players attempting to reach three of the par fives — holes 8, 13 and 15 — in two. Johnson, in 2007, laid up on all par fives when he won.

There will also be about two hours less daylight in November than in April. That will mean earlier tee times and perhaps two-tee starts, which is not normal practice. 

The make up of the field should not be any different.

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said: “We intend to invite those professionals and amateurs who would have qualified for our original April date.”

That means the 92 golfers who had already secured their spots will still be eligible to play. 

Once the golf world resumes its schedule, players who win events between then and the Masters evidently will qualify for the 2021 Masters in its regular April slot – but not the November Masters.

Are there azaleas in November?

Every April, bountiful azaleas in brilliant hues — Augusta National has 30 different varieties — share centre stage with the world’s best golfers. In November, maybe not so much.