Fans hoping to get a glimpse of their favourite golfers ahead of the Masters have been disrupted by the inclement weather at Augusta National. While the tournament itself will not begin until Thursday, practice rounds have been scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
The weather at Augusta was expected to be so poor on Monday that gates for patrons were initially closed ‘until further notice’. According to the forecast, there was a 99 per cent chance of precipitation on Monday with ‘periods of heavy rain and a thunderstorm’.
An official statement read: “Due to expected inclement weather and safety concerns, patron gates will not open as scheduled for Monday’s practice round. All patron parking lots will remain closed until further notice.
“No patrons should approach Augusta National Golf Club until more details are released. The next update will be provided by 8 a.m. Monday.”
A further update was issued later on, with the Masters confirming that gates would be opened in the morning. They also said the course would remain accessible to ticket-holding fans unless the conditions deteriorated.
The update read: “Given the current forecast, we will open ticket gates at 8.a.m and patron parking lots are now open. We will continue to monitor the approaching weather. The grounds will remain open this morning as the weather permits.”
The weather at the course is expected to improve before the Masters gets underway later this week. On Tuesday, things are forecast to settle down with sunny skies and only light winds of up to 20 miles per hour.
More sunshine is anticipated for the par-three contest on Wednesday. Meanwhile, there is only a five per cent chance of rain on Thursday, meaning it is likely to stay dry throughout the opening round.
On Friday, there is a much higher chance of rain with a 50 per cent likelihood of the heavens opening. A smaller chance of wet weather has been predicted for Saturday, with light winds between five and 10 miles per hour.
The final round is expected to stay dry, with the chance of rain on Sunday standing at just three per cent. It suggests that whoever collects the coveted green jacket will not be forced to dash for cover after completing his winning round.
Scottie Scheffler will be hoping to retain the Masters title he won last year, which would see him become the first back-to-back champion since Tiger Woods in 2002.
Others, including the likes of Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa and Jon Rahm, are desperate to claim the honours for themselves. McIlroy will be particularly hopeful of ending his 11-year wait for a fifth major title, having made an impressive start to 2025.
