AUGUSTA, Ga. — Augusta National added 25 yards to the par-5 13th hole since last year’s Masters, aiming to restore the integrity of the course’s easiest hole and forcing competitors to make a ‘momentous decision,’ aligning with the original intent of club co-founder Bobby Jones.
For some, the combination of extra distance and the severe right-to-left slope in the fairway landing area means the decision has already been made.
It’s no surprise that shorter hitters like Brian Harman and Kevin Kisner now view the 535-yard 13th as a traditional three-shotter. Unless conditions change drastically between now and Thursday, they’ll lay up to a comfortable yardage for their approach and try to stick it close with a wedge.
They won’t be alone lofting a shot over the tributary of Rae’s Creek.
The 2020 champion Dustin Johnson – one of golf’s most powerful players – said Monday it’s likely he’ll join them in playing the hole conservatively. Johnson’s left-to-right ball flight off the tee doesn’t fit a hole bending in the opposite direction.
“Yeah, most likely I’ll be laying up all four days unless depending on the wind and you get a good one down there,” Johnson said. “Yeah, it definitely made the hole more difficult. Obviously guys that can turn the driver over, it helps them out. It’s not really my forte with the driver hitting a draw. Still can make a 4. So there’s a lot of ways to do that.”
Rory McIlroy consults with his caddie Harry Diamond before hitting to the No. 13 green during a practice round ahead of the 2023 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Network)
Subpar scores have always flowed freely on the final leg of Amen Corner. It’s yielded 124 eagles in the last 10 Masters and been the course’s easiest hole five of the past nine years, never ranking higher than 16th in difficulty in the span.
Jeff Maggert holed a 3-iron from 222 for an albatross in 1992. Phil Mickelson hit a brilliant 6-iron from an uneven lie off the pine straw in the right pine trees in 2010 en route to a third green jacket.
But the perceived problem in recent years was pros blasting bombs over the towering pines left of the fairway, leaving only a short iron or wedge for their second shot.
While the new tee box makes the tee shot somewhat easier, the mid-to-long iron second shot off a sidehill lie is somewhat scary for even the most seasoned pro.
“It’s exactly what I thought it was for me,” Billy Horschel said. “The pin was front today, so I think I had like 215 front pin, but I had the ball well above my feet with a 3-iron. If I don’t have 5-iron or less to that green, I’m not going to go for it.”
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Whether the 13th is better or worse, easier or more difficult, won’t be revealed until four tournament rounds are complete and probably needs several Masters for an accurate reading. Wind direction and turf firmness will dictate whether players can reach a yardage that allows the reward of a potential eagle putt to trump the risk.
“You got to hit a perfect drive to have a chance now, where you could get away with more of a right shot,” Kisner said. “Now if you bail out to the right, you have no chance to go for it. The longer hitters will be in the trees now.”
It’s not as if the 13th green is suddenly out of reach. Min Woo Lee, the powerful young Australian, bashed his natural draw around the corner in Monday’s practice round, needing only a 7-iron for his second shot.
“You can make it a lot easier, but obviously you bring in those left trees if you’re trying to hit a draw,” he said. “It’s still a birdie-able hole even if you hit the fairway and have a short club in or lay up. So as long as you lay up in the right spot you’re chipping it up the green.”
Harman and Scott Stallings envision more players laying up on their second shot than past Masters. Perhaps the conditions change. Either way, expect more pondering in the 13th fairway as players are forced to make a pivotal decision, which is what Jones and course designer Alister MacKenzie wanted in the first place.
“Where the ball ends up is in the middle of the slope. Like today we had 230 in the middle and I went for it today, but if I had that same lie on Thursday I would have laid up,” Stallings said. “A lot more of a decision making — a lot easier to hit from that slope in the middle of the fairway with an 8-iron compared to a 4-iron. The shot just plays a lot different.”
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