Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley says the home of The Masters suffered extensive damage from last week’s Hurricane Helene but vows the tournament will be played next April as planned.
Ridley said Augusta National suffered “a lot of damage” from the storm, knocking out electricity and water at the famed course.
He said: “There was a lot of damage and we have a lot of people working hard to get us back up and running. We’ve had dozens of people working at the club, and what I really have been most proud of is while everyone certainly is focused on getting us back up and running, our employees have been so focused on the community at large.
“We don’t really know exactly what that’s going to mean as far as the golf course is concerned, but I can tell if you it’s humanly possible, we’ll be back in business sooner rather than later.”
Ridley also announced that the club had donated $5 million to a fund supporting local recovery efforts from the storm, which battered the southeastern United States last week.
“I was in Augusta in the days immediately after the storm and have seen first-hand its devastating impact,” Ridley said. “Our employees, neighbours, friends and business owners need and deserve immediate and meaningful assistance to overcome the hardships being experienced at this moment throughout Augusta.”
Ridley said that The Masters would begin April 10 as scheduled.
“The Masters will be held,” he said. “It will be on the dates it’s scheduled to be held.”