By Rory Carroll
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 8 (Reuters) - Dry weather, low humidity and the possibility of wind are expected to leave Augusta National playing firm and fast for this week's Masters, a prospect top players said would add to the challenge of the year's first major.
World number one Scottie Scheffler said the forecast was among the best he had seen at Augusta in recent years and should produce the kind of quick conditions that test every part of a player's game.
"The forecast looks great. It's
going to get firm and fast," said Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion.
"I would imagine they (tournament organizers) would like the greens to get fast. I think that increases the challenge of the golf course."
Scheffler said the course was "shaping up nicely" and that even a small amount of rain earlier in the week had done little to change the expectation that the greens would remain firm.
"We might get a little bit of wind too," he said. "This is the best forecast I've seen for this tournament in a while."
Bryson DeChambeau said hard, running conditions would place an even greater premium on caution and precision, particularly on Augusta National's notoriously difficult greens.
"If it's firm and fast, the greens are going to be even more difficult to hit than they already are," DeChambeau said.
DeChambeau, who briefly held the lead early in the final round at last year's tournament, said the conditions could force players to aim for safer portions of greens rather than attack flags, even if it meant leaving lengthy birdie putts.
"I'm looking at it from a perspective of hitting the big parts of the greens and sometimes giving myself 30-footers ... kind of sticking up for yourself and going, no, this is a great shot," he said.
DeChambeau added that such an approach had served him well when he won his second U.S. Open title at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2024 and could work in his favor again at Augusta, provided his iron play holds up.
Ahead of Thursday's opening round, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said the course was in pristine shape despite weather challenges earlier in the season.
"As we enter Masters week, I want to acknowledge the excellent work of Brent Seyer and his agronomy team in preparing the golf course for the tournament," Ridley said on Wednesday.
"Although we had ice and snow events this fall, the course condition is impeccable and ready for the start of the tournament tomorrow."
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Augusta, Georgia; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
