10 Things You (May) Have Forgotten About The November 2020 Masters
1. On March 13, 2020, Augusta National said that the 2020 Masters, due to be played from April 9-13, was postponed due to Covid. On April 6, it was announced it would be held on November 12-15 instead.
2. On August 12, it was announced The Masters would be held without spectators, or patrons in Augusta National-speak, just as that year’s other two Majors had been – The Open was cancelled that year. When the decision was made, only Florida and California had a greater number of active coronavirus cases in the U.S. than Georgia.
3. Much talk beforehand was of how the course would be easier than usual due to greens being softer and the lack of patrons opening up fresh routes for the big hitters. Big-hitting Bryson DeChambeau, who had won the U.S. Open in September, was the pre-tournament favourite. He said he reckoned the course would play as a par-67 layout rather than the stated par of 72.
4. Bryson DeChambeau shot rounds of 70-74-69-73 and finished tied 34th, five places below Bernard Langer, one of the shortest hitters in the field.
5. At 63 years of age, and at 3-under-par, Bernhard Langer became the oldest man to make the cut at The Masters.
6. Dustin Johnson won the tournament in record-breaking style. Johnson’s 20-under-par 268 broke the previous record of 270, held jointly by Tiger Woods (1997) and Jordan Spieth (2015). He became the first man to reach 20-under at The Masters. Spieth had got to 19-under in 2015 after 69 holes, before bogeying the final hole.
7. Johnson made just four bogeys, the fewest by any winner of The Masters. With four sub-par rounds at this Masters (65-70-65-68) following four under-par rounds in 2019 and his last three rounds of the 2018 tournament, Johnson broke Tiger Woods’ record of 2000-2002 for most consecutive under-par rounds at The Masters. Johnson also became the first man to post two 65s in the same Masters.
8. Cam Smith became the first man to shoot four rounds in the 60s in a Masters tournament when he carded 67-68-69-69. His 273 total was lower than all but seven of the previous Masters champions’ winning scores. But all it brought him was second place, five shots behind Johnson.
9. The final round was watched by 5.59m television viewers in the United States, the lowest viewing figures since 1957 for a Masters final round. In the United Kingdom viewing figures were also down, but that was because, for the first time since 1963, it was not on free-to-air BBC but on the subscription Sky Sports. The BBC showed highlights. It was the last Major the BBC’s ‘Voice Of Golf’, Peter Alliss commentated on. He died 21 days later, aged 89.
10. Those holding tickets were promised tickets for the same tournament days next year. A patrons’ online store was set up for those with tickets for the Masters or the cancelled Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Patrons, who were limited to two purchases each, could buy such items as a Masters Santa gnome for $49.50. If they wanted a literal taste of the Masters, they could buy, for $150, a Taste Of The Masters pack intended to feed 10-12 people containing items such as a pound of pimento cheese, and egg salad, caramel popcorn, potato chips and chocolate chip cookies.
