Augusta weather: Masters set for hot and dry start before turning cold and wet at weekend

A week of interesting weather lies ahead in the 87th Masters as hot and dry conditions on the opening couple of days are replaced by cool and wet days at the weekend.

After heavy rain on Saturday, the sun was out for the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday. Picture: Christian Petersen/Getty Images.

After the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur on Saturday was disrupted by torrential rain, Sunday’s Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals took place in warm spring sunshine. Showers are forecast for Monday before the temperature rises into the 80s on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, though the down side of that is that there is a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon on all three days. But, caused by a weak front set to move into the Augusta area, it will then turn cooler from Friday onwards, with a high of 57F being predicted for Saturday and it only then being slightly warmer for the final round on Sunday. In a week set for only light winds, the forecast also includes more than a 50 per cent chance of rain on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with Saturday possibly being the wettest day of the week.

Last year’s event was hit by severe thunderstorms on both Tuesday and Wednesday, when the Par 3 Contest was forced to be cut short, while it then turned really cold and also windy on the Saturday. That coincided with Tiger Woods, who was making his major return since suffering serious leg injuries in a single-car crash in Los Angeles 14 months earlier, carding his worst-ever score - a six-over-par 78.

American Rose Zhang, the world No 1, won the fourth edition of the women’s event, beating compatriot Jenny Bae at the second extra hole after the tied on nine-under-par after 54 holes.