AUGUSTA, Ga. – In August when news surfaced that Augusta National had purchased a parcel of land from Augusta Country Club, speculation grew that the move was intended to provide room to move the 13th tee back.
The club has made no announcement of plans to expand the 13th hole, but the par 5 ranks as the course’s second easiest in historical scoring averages and yielded 128 birdies last year.
Opinions on whether the club should expand the 13th predictably vary.
“For me it’s a really fun golf hole. I think on Sunday last year we saw Sergio hit it left. A championship can really pivot on that hole for sure, and I think that’s what makes the back nine here exciting,” said Justin Rose, who finished runner-up to Sergio Garcia last year. “If it goes too far back and then you have to definitely play too far right, it might take some of the risk out of it.”
Masters Tournament: Tee times| Full coverage
For Jordan Spieth, however, adding 30 extra yards would make the hole less of a bomber’s paradise and give the entire field an equal chance to score.
“I would hope it would be lengthened,” said Spieth, who won the Masters in 2015. “To take away certain players being able to cut off a lot of the hole and require pretty much everyone to hit it around the same line. That’s advantageous to me because I don’t fly it 310 yards up in the air with the right‑to‑left turn like Bubba [Watson] does, Rory [McIlroy] does, some of the guys can do.”
Source: Internet
