Regardless of Augusta Nationwide injury, Masters will not be delayed, chairman says

Because the Southeast reels within the aftermath of Hurricane Helene — the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland in practically twenty years — one other part of the wreckage is about to start.

Some cities have been destroyed, others are nonetheless inaccessible, others are nonetheless with out energy or operating water, and the search and rescue for these nonetheless in want of assistance is ongoing.

In Augusta, Ga., many are struggling to safe the fundamentals of meals, water and electrical energy. Some nonetheless lack a correct shelter. The Washington Publish lately frolicked in Augusta to report on the reduction efforts, and on Wednesday U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited town.

Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership, the house of the Masters, despatched out a press release over the weekend.

“Our Augusta neighborhood has suffered catastrophic and historic impression from Hurricane Helene,” Fred Ridley, the chairman of Augusta Nationwide, stated within the assertion. “We presently are assessing the consequences at Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership. Within the meantime our focus and efforts are foremost with our workers, neighbors and enterprise homeowners in Augusta. Our ideas and prayers are with them in addition to everybody all through Georgia and the Southeast who’ve been affected.”

Just a few days later and internationally on the Asia Pacific Novice Championship in Japan — an occasion run by Augusta Nationwide and the R&A — Ridley spoke to the media and offered one other replace.

“What I actually have been most happy with is whereas everybody definitely is concentrated on getting us up, again and operating, our staff have been so targeted on the neighborhood at massive,” Ridley stated early Thursday morning, based on Golf Digest. “We’ve been capable of care for our staff, however we’ve additionally been targeted on what the Pink Cross and different organizations are doing in Augusta, and our staff actually have been a giant a part of that, which I believe actually speaks for them and the tradition on the membership.”

Ridley added that the golf course was affected simply as the remainder of the neighborhood has been, and that “there was a variety of injury and we’ve lots of people working onerous to get us again up and operating.”

Ridley additionally stated the membership “shall be again in enterprise sooner somewhat than later,” and “[the Masters] shall be on the dates it’s scheduled to be held.”

The 2025 Masters is slated for April 10-13.

Whereas Augusta Nationwide’s tight-lipped tradition and golf course that’s largely hidden amongst towering pines means we’ll doubtless see little visible proof of the injury, some pictures and movies have circulated on social media.

Josh Berhow

Golf.com Editor

As GOLF.com’s managing editor, Berhow handles the day-to-day and long-term planning of one of many sport’s most-read information and repair web sites. He spends most of his days writing, modifying, planning and questioning if he’ll ever break 80. Earlier than becoming a member of GOLF.com in 2015, he labored at newspapers in Minnesota and Iowa. A graduate of Minnesota State College in Mankato, Minn., he resides within the Twin Cities along with his spouse and two youngsters. You’ll be able to attain him at joshua_berhow@golf.com.