The Big Lead

Masters host Augusta National suffered ‘a lot of damage,' will donate $5 million to Hurricane Helene relief

By Adam Woodard

Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club speaks on the first tee during the first round of the Masters Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club speaks on the first tee during the first round of the Masters Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
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Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Amateur in Japan this week, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley provided an update on the status of the club that hosts the Masters each April and also announced a large donation for Hurricane Helene relief.

The town of Augusta, Georgia, was one of many to be ravaged by the recent hurricane, and Ridley said the damage he saw was “something that I’ve really never seen in my life.” Along with the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area, Augusta National will donate $5 million to support the local relief efforts.

“We have been without power and water and other essentials for a number of days,” Ridley said. “So it really does impress upon you what can happen when there’s a natural disaster such as that.”

Ridley added that while Augusta National suffered “a lot of damage,” he remains “confident” that next year’s Masters, April 10-13, will be played as scheduled.

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