Golf

Augusta National announces 2020 Masters to be held without fans


Masters

This year’s Masters will be held in November, but will not sound the same.

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This year’s Masters will truly be a tournament unlike any other, as Augusta National announced Wednesday the 2020 event will be held without spectators on site.

The announcement is not wholly surprising — the year’s first major was held last week in San Francisco without fans — but it is remarkable nonetheless. Few events in all of sports are more cherished by visiting fans than the Masters. 

“As we have considered the issues facing us, the health and safety of everyone associated with the Masters always has been our first and most important priority,” said club chairman Fred Ridley. 

“Throughout this process, we have consulted with health officials and a variety of subject matter experts. Ultimately, we determined that the potential risks of welcoming patrons and guests to our grounds in November are simply too significant to overcome.”


augusta national clubhouse

By:

Michael Bamberger


The event is famous for how it normally hosts patrons, with fixed pricing on its tickets (known as badges) and affordable food and beverages on site. Its tradition of banning cell phones and communication devices has created a quasi-bubble viewing experience, and perhaps no event in golf captures the excitement of individual shots echoing through the tall pine trees.

But this November, in a year where the event was already pushed back seven months, that will simply not be the case. 

“We look forward to the day when we can welcome all of our patrons back, hopefully in April 2021,” Ridley said.

Augusta National originally postponed the Masters in mid-March when the coronavirus spread quickly across the country, shutting down major cities and sports leagues, including the PGA Tour. Tickets had already been issued to spectators hopeful to attend the event. Those badges are now guaranteed to transfer to their equivalent for the 2021 Masters. As for those who earned badges for the 2021 competition, Augusta National announced it will “communicate directly” with those patrons in September. 

The 2020 Masters will be held Nov. 12-15.

Golf.com

A senior editor for GOLF.com, Zak joined the staff GOLF staff three weeks after college graduation. He is the utility infielder of the brand, spanning digital, print and video. His main duty is as a host for various GOLF.com video properties and its award-winning podcasts. When the Masters comes around, be sure to tune in to hear him and fellow staffers recount the most memorable tournaments in Augusta National history on A Pod Unlike Any Other.



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