Augusta.com  
Home News Photo Galleries Course Tour The Players The History Augusta Guide Shop Contact Us

Golfers complain about decision to keep playing


Web posted 04/12/02


The steady drizzle that fell Friday morning almost made Augusta National Golf Club unplayable, several players said after completing their second round.

By the end of the day, heavy rains had made sure the second round of the Masters would not be completed Friday. Thirty-eight players will come back to finish their round at 7:45 a.m. today.

The course was already wet from rain earlier this week, and the conditions worsened as rain fell throughout the morning. Masters officials did not stop play until late afternoon, when the rain forced players and patrons to scramble for shelter.


The players who teed off early complained they were at a disadvantage because of all the rain.

"If the course would have been dry, I really think I could have shot 3- or 4-under," said Fred Couples, who won the Masters in 1992. "I did get upset because the course was under water."

When Couples reached the fifth green, he said workers were clearing water off the green just 5 feet from the pin.

"I was screaming my head off," he said. "Well, not really screaming, but talking louder to the officials. I apologized. I don't think they dropped the ball on it, but I had never seen that before here. Every shot was almost a casual water shot."

According to the Rules of Golf, players are allowed to drop a ball if it is considered to be in casual water. The benchmark for determining that is to step on the ground in question and see whether any water rises above the heel mark of the shoe.

In certain cases, tournament officials can allow players to lift, clean and place their ball. That's a considerable advantage over hitting a ball caked in mud, but Masters officials did not enact that Friday.

"The eighth fairway had a river running down it," Couples said. "I kept saying to the officials, 'What are we going to do?' Two holes later, it was fine."

Stewart Cink, who shot a 2-under 70 to get to even par through 36 holes, said he thought play should have been halted in the morning.

"When you have standing water on the green, that is above and beyond what we should do in a major championship," Cink said. "It was over the line, no question. This isn't a member-guest (tournament). My umbrella was gathering water at one point."

Cink's group held up play as he had to take a drop on the seventh fairway. Finding a suitable place to drop was a challenge, he said.

"I basically dropped my ball in mud," he said.

Billy Andrade teed off in the rain at 9:25 a.m.

"I don't think the golf course could have taken much more," Andrade said. "They said when we were on the third hole they were pretty close to calling it."

Guides For:
The Masters
Attractions
Hotels / Rentals
Getting Around
Dining Out
Area Golf Courses
Weather
Nightlife

Welcome to Augusta.com's coverage of the 2010 Masters golf tournament, golf's most prestigious event.

No other web site provides more complete coverage of the Masters and the city of Augusta, Georgia.



Featured Rental

4 bedroom, 2 baths
House has a large eat in kitchen, patio; Call 706-793-7103

More Rentals

Featured Hotel

Partridge Inn
A traditional, full service hotel that defines excellence.

More Hotels

Featured Dining

Bambu on Hickman
Bambu offers amazing food and impeccable service.

More Dining



Copyright © 2011 The Augusta Chronicle. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Statement | Contact us

This site and all its content are representative of The Augusta Chronicle's Masters® Tournament coverage and information. The Augusta Chronicle and Augusta.com are our trademarks. Augusta.com is an online publication of The Augusta Chronicle and is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by the Masters or the Augusta National Golf Club.