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The Masters: Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms set to disrupt first round at Augusta National

Debutant Ludvig Aberg turns to an experienced hand on the bag; Olazabal still features aged 58

Inclement weather conditions are forecast for the first round of The Masters on Thursday. Photograph: Doug Mills/The New York Times
Inclement weather conditions are forecast for the first round of The Masters on Thursday. Photograph: Doug Mills/The New York Times
Philip Reid at Augusta National
Wed Apr 10 2024 - 15:38

It’s not good news weather-wise for the opening round of the Masters, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issuing a warning of heavy rainfall and likely thunderstorms to disrupt play.

The slow moving system has been forecast to hit the Augusta area around midnight Wednesday and continue into Thursday with thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts and cloud-to-ground lightning with up to two inches of rainfall.

However, once the cold front has moved through, the forecast is for sunny and breezy conditions for the remainder of the tournament. But with another proviso: the pollen count is due to be high. Not great for any hay fever sufferers.

With just 89 players in the field, any anticipated loss of play on Thursday will be comfortably made up to ensure a traditional Sunday finish.

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Aberg backs experience on the bag

Ludvig Aberg – who made a sensational start to his professional career last year, winning on both the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour in his rookie season – is hoping veteran bagman Joe Skovron will make up for his lack of knowledge of Augusta National for his debut appearance.

[ Masters digest: Jon Rahm sticks to best of Basque fare for champions dinner ]

Aberg switched caddies to Skovron, a former college coach and bagman to Rickie Fowler, who has carried the bag in over 50 Majors in his career.

“I’ll trust Joe. I’'l trust him in terms of the preparation, in terms of course management because he’s seen it, and he’s been there for a long time. Obviously, the golf course is very tricky. You got to know your spots, know your misses. You have to play very good golf and hit the shots. But hopefully we’ll use these couple practice days ahead of us and make sure that, come Thursday, we’ll know a little bit more now or know a little bit more then than I do now,” said the 24-year-old Swede, who won the RSM Classic in November to add to his Omega European Masters title.

Ludvig Aberg of Sweden leaves the 13th green during a practice round prior to the 2024 Masters. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Ludvig Aberg of Sweden leaves the 13th green during a practice round prior to the 2024 Masters. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Aberg is looking to become the first debutant at the Masters to win since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

Life on the Green

Broadcaster and author Ann Liguori has an important date to keep in Ireland next month, when – as an international member of Carne Links – she will make sure to be at the award-winning Belmullet course for a members’ golf event.

This week, though, Liguori has been doing a meet-and-talk tour of book shops around Augusta to promote her new book – “Life on the Green: Lessons and Wisdom from Legends of Golf” published by Hatherleigh – which features in-depth interviews with 12 deep-thinking golfers, among them Jack Nicklaus, Bernhard Langer, Annika Sorenstam and our own Pádraig Harrington.

“You will be inspired by the life lessons that the greatest names in golf share, wisdom that we all can embrace for a lifetime of success and happiness,” notes broadcaster Jim Nantz in the foreword of New Yorker Liguori’s book.

No doubt Liguori will get an opportunity to recount a tale or two on her visit to Carne in a few weeks time.

By the numbers: 58
Jose Maria Olazabal congratulates Jon Rahm after winning the Masters last year. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA
Jose Maria Olazabal congratulates Jon Rahm after winning the Masters last year. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA

Jose Maria Olazabal – winner in 1994 and 1999 – doesn’t intend on sitting it out at the Masters any time soon. “The game will dictate. If I can still put a couple of decent scores on the card and I am not a problem for my playing partners, I’ll keep on coming a few more years, I think,” said the 58-year-old Spaniard.

Quote-Unquote

“Can he win here? You know what, yeah. I just watched him play nine holes, and nine holes is only nine holes on a Tuesday, but he never mis-hits a shot. But the idea of making a cut, I think he would laugh at that because he’s not here to (set a new cuts record), he’s here to win. He’s here to play really, really hard” – Freddie Couples observing Tiger Woods is here for the big prize, not just to set a new record of 24 straight cuts made.

Philip Reid

Philip Reid

Philip Reid is Golf Correspondent of The Irish Times