Storms disrupt Masters practice

The first two days of official practice have been hit by poor weather

Bad weather disrupted practice at the Masters for the second day running as the course was evacuated on Tuesday morning.

Monday’s practice rounds were curtailed in mid-afternoon by approaching storms and the threat of lightning, and the players were unable to return to Augusta National before heavy and persistent overnight rain saturated the course further.

Only a handful of the field were on the course and the practice range on Tuesday morning when the sirens sounded once again to warn players to return to the clubhouse, with spectators urged to seek cover for safety reasons.

Further rain and storms are expected from Friday onwards

Masters officials announced they were expecting a delay of between two and three hours, but further storms were forecast to hit the region later in the afternoon and are likely to force another suspension.

Local forecasters are predicting much calmer weather for Wednesday’s practice and the traditional Par 3 Contest, which was abandoned for the first time in Masters history two years ago due to storms and tornado warnings.

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However, further bad weather has been predicted for the final three days, with Sunday looking particularly ominous with a high probability of thunderstorms during the afternoon.

The uncertain forecast also raises the prospect of the first Monday finish at the Masters since Seve Ballesteros won the Green Jacket for the second time in 1983, when Friday’s play was abandoned without a single shot being hit.