The final round of the Masters will begin much earlier than usual, with players grouped in threesomes and starting from the first and 10th tees as organisers seek to complete the tournament before the potential arrival of thunderstorms at Augusta National.
A statement posted on the official Masters website during Saturday’s third round confirmed Sunday’s play would begin at 7:30am local time (12:30pm GMT).
The first and 10th will be used as starting holes, with the leaders due to begin their rounds at 9:20am, in the hope a winner can be decided prior to an anticipated burst of inclement weather in the afternoon.
There has not been a Monday finish at the Masters since 1983, when the tournament was heavily affected by rain.
Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters tournament, said: “The safety of everyone on our grounds is paramount.
We also believe the earlier start will give us the best opportunity to complete the Masters on Sunday.
“This decision should benefit everyone – the players, our patrons and our fans watching around the world. Given the competitiveness and drama of this year’s tournament, we look forward to an exciting conclusion tomorrow [Sunday].”
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