Augusta National consultant discusses hurricane damage and 2025 Masters outlook

Tom Fazio, a renowned architect consultant with deep ties to Club, has provided an update on on the prestigious Georgia club.

Speaking on Friday, Fazio – a titan in contemporary course design – acknowledged that Helene undoubtedly inflicted significant but repairable harm. The hurricane tore through the Southeastern US in late September 2024, leaving behind a staggering $81.6 billion in damages and taking 27 lives.

Soon after came Hurricane Milton, this year's most ferocious tropical cyclone to date, which plunged 2 million people into darkness and resulted in 16 fatalities.

The impact of these hurricanes was felt keenly across the sports : the NHL scrapped Tampa Bay Lightning's final preseason match and their season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes scheduled for October 12. The NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers were forced to move their operations to New Orleans in anticipation of their game against the Saints on October 13.

Meanwhile, contender Chris Barnett pulled out of a UFC Fight Night due to "issues" stemming from the storm.

Augusta National, a 7,510-yard, par 72 off the championship tees and famed as one of the world's most challenging courses due to its notoriously fast greens, didn't escape unscathed from Helene either.

The course, which hosts one of golf's prestigious tournaments, , saw most damage on the par-3 16th hole known as Redbud, a 170-yard hole, where several trees fell on the green. "Having trees fall on your green, what does that mean? " Fazio asked, per Sports Illustrated.

"You pick up the trees, you fill in the divots and holes they left. Then you re-sod and you're ready to go."

Fazio doesn't foresee any disruption for when The Masters returns in 2025, stating that the staff at Augusta "have the resources and the abilities to adjust to the conditions there. I would imagine you won't know anything happened by April."

It largely amounts to a "clean-up phase," he said. Ultimately, for Fazio, any repairs are merely cosmetic and pale in contrast to the greater wreckage Helene caused.

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"People have lost their homes and lost their lives," he said. "Lost their cars and their possessions and that is what is important. A putting green at Augusta or anywhere can always be fixed."

, the current Masters champion, bagged the title in 2022 as well, marking his second victory in Augusta. The record holder is Jack Nicklaus with six championships, followed by Tiger Woods with five, and Arnold Palmer with four.

The 2025 Masters is set to take place from April 7 to 13.