Masters 2026: 'It could be pretty tasty' - Will Augusta National start to bite?

Players puzzled at condition of greens at dry Augusta.

Rory McIlroy walks to the tee on the 14th hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament. Pic: AP Photo/Matt Slocum

The anticipation was that Augusta National would become a fast and firm brute. Thrilling for patrons and spectators at home, torture for players. So far, that hasn’t been the case.

Early in the week, it became clear that it would be the first completely dry Masters in 15 years. Rain has been experienced during 49 of the 89 tournaments. The weather update posted on Saturday morning promised 30°C temperatures and calm winds.

Shane Lowry suggested it would be the toughest Masters in a while. By Friday, world number 1 Scottie Scheffler was expressing his shock that such a surface hadn’t already manifested.

“I was surprised at the greens. You know, I felt like the greens would get firmer as the week went on, but I think they may have saw how difficult it was late in the day yesterday that they -- it felt like they softened them up a bit today, but I couldn't imagine them doing that the rest of the weekend.” 

Where patrons walk through the pine straw to follow play became increasingly dry and dusty. Justin Rose said it reminded him of a “cricket pitch,” but that the course remained good.

At various crossing points on the course, small circular disks that look like small manhole covers are visible. This is where staff can connect hoses to water the course. Evidently, they had been doing so.

That theme continued on Saturday. Jordan Spieth was out early and left a 8-foot putt short on the second. Rasmus Højgaard had an opportunity to make par on the 11th green only for the ball to roll gradually to within two feet.

Others found the conditions favourable. Scheffler roared out with an eagle and three straight birdies on the first nine to surge up the leaderboard. Hideki Matsuyama went birdie-birdie-birdie from 3-5. 2023 Open champion Brian Harman had a 67 for his best-ever round here. For him, it was a similar shape to Friday with slightly tougher pin positions.

Informed viewers started to take notice.

“Still looks a bit too receptive out there for a Saturday at The Masters,” said Lee Westwood on social media, who competed in the Masters 21 times.

Sweden’s Alex Norén was one of the first to finish in the third round.

“I think they kept them extremely similar from Thursday to today,” he said of the greens.

Corey Conners followed him in and said it was starting to firm up. Even now, the expectation is that it will soon turn.

“I think if the wind picks up a little bit, it will bake out more,” said Norén. “Obviously first round or first off, and I mean, we had almost no wind and you could see on 15, 17, 18, it is getting a little bit baked out; 13.

“I think then with some wind tomorrow it could be pretty tasty.”