It came and went with fanfare but no fans. The 2020 Masters will forever be a visual anomaly, the typically sparkling green fairways of Augusta National Golf Club still present, but framed not amid blooming white and pink spring azaleas but orange and brown autumn foliage. It was a vivid reminder that this was November, not April, and that while the show would go on, it would be a very different episode.
On April 6, 2020, less than a month after the COVID-19 pandemic put everything on pause in the United States and three days before the originally scheduled first round, Masters chairman Fred Ridley announced that the tournament would be postponed until Nov. 12-15. The initial hope was that the delay might allow spectators to attend, a wish that went by the wayside when the club said on Aug. 12 that there would be no patrons come November. (Club members and a few guests along with limited media were still present.)
Five years have passed since Dustin Johnson won the green jacket, shooting a record-setting asterisk-inducing 20-under 268 to beat Sungae Im and Cameron Smith by five strokes. Since then, the mens professional golf world has undergone a seismic shift that blots out many of the memories that a COVID major created. But that visual anomaly seen on the former Fruitlands Nursery will never disappear thanks to the photos captured that week in Georgia, including the ones below by our own J.D. Cuban and Ben Walton.
An empty 10th green with a lone player practicing on Wednesday of Masters week. (Photo by J.D. Cuban)
The 13th hole through the trees. (Photo by J.D. Cuban)
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A caddie works during a practice round. (Photo by Ben Walton)
Jon Rahm masks up ahead of his practice round. (Photo by Ben Walton)
A walk along the Sarazen on the 15th hole at Augusta National. (Photo by Ben Walton)
A photo from the side of the 16th hole, looking back at the 15th green. (Photo by Ben Walton)
The par-3 16th green from near the tee box. (Photo by Ben Walton)
Ben Walton
The empty patio outside Augusta National’s clubhouse.
Ben Walton
Tournament officials tried to replicate much of the Masters traditions even with no patrons in attendance.
Ben Walton
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Volunteers work the main scoreboard beside the first hole during Thursday’s opening round. (Photo by J.D. Cuban_
An almost empty first tee created a very different atmosphere for players. (Photo by J.D. Cuban)
This famous view from behind the 17th tee took on a different look during Saturday’s third round. (Photo by J.D. Cuban)
Justin Thomas walks along the Sarazen Bridge to the 15th green during Saturday’s third round. (Photo by Ben Walton)
Brooks Koepka makes the walk off the 18th green in the gloaming after this first round. (Photo by Ben Walton)
Tiger Woods tees off during the final round. (Photo by Ben Walton)
Dustin Johnson took a four-shot lead into the final round and didn’t fade come Sunday. (Photo J.D. Cuban)
JD Cuban
A happy DJ walks off the 18th with his second career major win. (Photo by Ben Walton)
Ben Walton
It was a different green jacket ceremony as Johnson is awarded his prize from Tiger Woods. (Photo by J.D. Cuban)