Start of play in 88th Masters delayed by bad weather at Augusta National

Wet and windy conditions hit Georgia on morning of season’s opening major

Play in the opening round of the 88th Masters was delayed by two-and-a-half hours due to the weather at Augusta National - but it was a better first-day scenario than had been predicted 24 hours earlier.

The action in the season’s opening major had been due to start at 8am, with South African Erik van Rooyen and American Jake Knapp out in a two-ball at the front of the 89-strong field.

However, play was initially delayed by an hour in an update issued at 5am as the tournament organisers “monitored the weather closely” before it was then announced that the action was set to begin at 10.30am.

Play on the opening day in the 88th Masters was delayed by at least an hour due to bad weather. Picture: The Masters

It had been predicted since the weekend that the first round was set to be impacted by the weather, with an inch and a half of rain expected to fall and winds gusting up to 45mph. Thunderstorms were also supposed to be an issue during the day at the Georgia venue.

However, the weather update issued at 5am on Thursday was more promising as the first battle of 2024 between players from the traditional tours and a 13-strong LIV Golf contingent led by defending champion Jon Rahm got underway.

“Heavy rain and thunderstorms across Southern Georgia/Northern Florida has limited the northern extent of the moisture and instability early this morning,” said the bulletin. “This will keep the more widespread rain and thunderstorm chances just to the south of Augusta through the morning.”

The possibility of “scattered showers and a few thunderstorms” remained a possibility in the area until 11am but the expected total rainfall had dropped from an expected inch-and-a-half to half an inch.

The wind, though, was still set to provide a stiff first-day test, with it set to gust up to 40mph in the morning then blow at a sustained 15-20mph thereafter with gusts up to 35mph.

The delay meant that the first round would not be completed on Thursday, with five-time winner Tiger Woods set to be impacted by that along with Brooks Koeka, Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth due to them all being in the later groups.

But, with only 89 players in the field and no further weather problems envisaged, the event will still be completed on schedule on Sunday.