Masters champion struggling to reach greens as Augusta National makes yet another change

Two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal admits he is struggling to reach a few of Augusta National’s par 4s in two photographs.

Like most tournaments, it is not unusual for Augusta National to make tweaks to the course in a bid to sustain with the modern-day golf execs who hit it additional than ever earlier than. Usually these adjustments contain the lengthening of holes.

In the previous 5 years alone, the tees on the second gap had been moved again 10 yards, the tees on the eleventh had been moved again 15 yards, the tees on the thirteenth had been moved again 35 yards, the tees on the fifteenth had been moved again 20 yards, and this yr the tee field has been shortened on the seventeenth – successfully including on another 10 yards to the outlet.

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That’s on high of all the varied holes which have been lengthened within the earlier years. While rollback guidelines shall be carried out in 2028, it appears programs such as Augusta National will proceed to lengthen holes for the foreseeable.

This would possibly effectively be no downside in case your identify is Bryson DeChambeau, however for 60-year-old Olazabal these adjustments are one thing of a difficulty. In truth, the Spaniard confessed to not liking them one bit.

Asked if he is getting used to the adjustments, he responded sharply: “That doesn’t mean I like it.

“Yes, clearly I’m getting used to the golf course taking part in extraordinarily lengthy for me. There are sure holes that I barely reach the inexperienced in 2. No. 5 is an effective instance of that, No. 11 is another one.

“Then I do have a lot of par-4s that I’m hitting really long irons, even 7-woods on to the greens.

“As I stated, it is all the time nice to be right here. My purpose is simply to put a few respectable scores the primary two days and check out to take pleasure in it as a lot as I can.”

Olazabal, though, is something of an expert around the greens. So he at least has that to fall back on.

“The extra you play this golf course, the higher it’s,” he said. “We’ve all the time stated, this golf course these days calls for a complete recreation.

“You want to be lengthy and straight off the tee. You have to be sharp along with your irons, and on high of that, your quick recreation has to be actually good.

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“Knowing the contours of the greens and all that clearly helps you across the greens, and whenever you play it, I do not know, 37 occasions or 38 occasions over years, you get to know the course just a little higher.”

Regardless of the changes, Olazabal is not knocking Augusta National. A golf club he’s won twice at, Olazabal is aware more than most just how special the Masters is.

“The emotions are nice,” he said. “Every time I come right here, this can be a very particular place for me, for my coronary heart. I’ve great reminiscences. This place has given me a lot in my profession for main occasions. It’s all the time improbable to be again right here.”