Considering all the changes at Augusta National Golf Club, it might be time to change the saying, "The Masters doesn't begin until the back nine on Sunday."

Masters competitors will encounter a tougher ninth hole before they have to worry about the closing nine this year.

The par-4 ninth hole was ranked the toughest hole on the course during first-round play, and continued to cause problems for players Friday. Through the day's play - all players had made it through No. 9 before play was suspended - it ranked fourth hardest with a cumulative average of 4.257.

That was exactly what Tom Fazio had expected.

"It didn't surprise me at all that No. 9 turned out to be the hardest hole," said Fazio, the golf course architect in charge of renovating the National.

Jose Maria Olazabal probably wasn't surprised either. The two-time Masters champion bogeyed No. 9 Thursday and Friday. In the first round, his tee shot tangled with the trees on the right side of the fairway. On Friday, Olazabal over-corrected and hooked his drive to the left.

No. 9 was lengthened 30 yards, and now measures 460 yards. Fazio also added several pine trees down the right side of the fairway, which has narrowed the driving area.

The hole features a sweeping downhill fairway, plus a challenging putting surface with a false front. Approach shots seemingly inches from perfection can still roll off the front of the green.

Still, those difficulties had been minimized by technological advancements in equipment.

"What made it strong is the contour of the land. Over the years, because of technology and the strength of the players, the ball just kept going further and further down the hill, down to the bottom," Fazio said. "They were hitting from a flat area, and also were hitting a 9-iron or pitching wedge."

During the past decade, players stepped up to the No. 9 tee with confidence. A long drive to the right provided an open shot to the green, while a slinging draw down the left usually would kick down into prime position.

With the additional length, players have had to change their strategy off the tee. Drives down the left leave a second shot blocked by overhanging pine trees.

Now that players are wary of the left side, the newly planted pines on the right are brought into play.

"There's less space to drive the golf ball, especially the farther back you are on the tee," Fazio said.

Even with a good drive this year, most players are hitting their second shots from a severe downhill lie to an elevated green - that combination presents one of the most difficult challenges a professional golfer can face.

The only reprieve is if a player can place his tee shot on two narrow strips of flat fairway, which often are referred to as "Hogan's Ledges." Pulling that off, however, is easier said than done.

After reaching the green, putting becomes the problem. British Amateur champion Michael Hoey missed a six-inch putt on No. 9 during the first round.

"Obviously you can't be short because the ball rolls back off the green, and if you hit it too far past the hole, you're putting downhill," Fazio said. "That, in a sense, is one of the determining factors. When you have the additional length, a narrower fairway and a strong pin placement, that adds up to a strong golf hole. That's the reason why it was No. 1 (in difficulty)."