Athletes give their opinion: How will the damaged trees at Augusta affect the Masters?

All those who have previously played at Augusta National can easily see the striking difference while walking the course this week, as many trees were lost during the damage caused by Hurricane Helene last September.

However, there is no consensus on how much this will affect the 2025 Masters, if at all.

Xander Schauffele, who is participating in his eighth Masters this week, remarked after a practice round that it felt like he was playing the back nine for the first time.

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\"Off (No.) 10, for example, if you are feeling extremely daring, there is a small gap on the left side of the trees where you can hit the ball through,\" he said. \"I think it's a bit risky, but in the past, your ball would hit a tree and fall 90 feet from the tee box.

\"There are a few spots where you can take a risk if you're feeling daring. But for the most part, I believe the course will play the same as before.\"

Rory McIlroy, ranked second in the world, agreed that while a couple of tee shots may be less intimidating visually, he doesn't think the course plays any differently.

\"You have the four new greens on 1, 8, 15 and 16,\" he said, \"which I think everyone saw during the ladies' tournament on Saturday that those greens are always a bit firmer, especially 15, where you can see the balls shoot through the green.\"

McIlroy also mentioned the missing trees on the left side of the 10th hole. Visually, it has changed his aiming point and perspective on how much he needs to move the ball.

Collin Morikawa noticed the changes on the second hole, where he believes he now has more options off the tee due to the lack of trees on the left side.

\"You can play a few different tee shots out there now, just because of the storms,\" he said after playing 13 holes on Tuesday. \"But for the most part, I usually play this golf course with a straight ball.\"

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Cameron Smith mentioned that Augusta \"looks a lot more open,\" but he doesn't think it will change the way he plays the course.

Few people know or love Augusta National more than Fred Couples, who will be participating in his 40th Masters this week. The 1992 champion stated that he actually thinks the course looks better visually.

\"I don't know why I say that,\" he admitted. \"The other day, we played No. 1 and when we were standing on the green, you could see a lot more space on the ninth tee. I think that's pretty cool. You can watch people hit.

\"I know a lot of trees went down. I know this town was devastated, but the golf course is amazing. But the trees, I couldn't tell you if they lost 10 important areas where trees were. I don't think so. But there are still a lot of trees. My goodness.\"

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is attempting to make history this week as he aims to join Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win three Masters in a four-year span. Like the others, he sees the clear visual difference around Augusta National.

However, Scheffler believes it's just that -- visually different. While players can now see much more of the golf course from different holes, the number of trees that are gone and will impact individual shots is minimal.

\"I think when you're hitting into the trees, you're still going to be in a lot of trouble,\" he said. \"There are only a few noticeable trees that are gone and in play.

\"But overall, the golf course is in great condition. The greens are really good. I think we're in for another fantastic tournament.\"