The Masters: Augusta ghost town highlights impact of coronavirus with course empty ahead of ‘moving day’

THIS Saturday should have been ‘moving day’ at the 2020 Masters.

But, as our pictures show, precious little has been moving in Augusta all week.

With the coronavirus pandemic forcing the postponement of The Masters until November, Augusta has resembled a ghost town.

The area around Augusta National has been eerily quiet, with the gates to the club’s famous Magnolia Lane entrance locked shut.

And the road running past the equally iconic water tower outside the course — usually packed with cars all the way back to Interstate 20 — has remained deserted.

Most Washington Road restaurants are closed — while the Hooters where John Daly regularly parks his monster motorhome and hawks his merchandise carries a sign saying it is open for ‘curb-side take out only’.

Scott Michaux, who spent 17 years as golf correspondent at the Augusta Chronicle, commented: “That sign is certainly going to test the popular male claim that they only go to Hooters for the chicken wings!”

Michaux reckons The Masters is worth almost £100million to the local economy.

He said business owners and residents are “praying” the event will go ahead on its new dates, from November 12-15.

He added: “I know one home owner who rents her large house out every year in Masters week for around £80,000.

“She wonders whether the interest will be the same in November.

“I know of another woman from out of State who spent £50,000 on a weekly ticket and a home for her husband to stay in, as his 50th birthday present. She can only hope it will still be available come November.

“I also spoke to a guy who owns three restaurants in Augusta with an annual turnover of about £2.5m.

“Close to £500,000 of that comes from this one week, mostly from outside catering for the likes of IBM.

“We all appreciate the need for lockdowns while coronavirus is rampant. But it feels so strange to see the roads deserted and the course closed.

“We’re all so used to dealing with traffic jams and a massive invasion of golf fans.

“Like everyone else here, I’m just praying The Masters will actually take place later in the year.

“I have even started a countdown on the number of days to go on my Twitter account.

“It will be 214 after the ‘final round’ until the first round of the new date. It can’t come quick enough!”

Meanwhile, the marker picked up by Jack Nicklaus to signal ‘The Concession’ in his duel with Tony Jacklin is up for sale — at more than £30,000!

The Golden Bear memorably gave the Brit his short putt on the final green of their contest at the 1969 Ryder Cup, meaning the match ended in a 16-16 tie.

It has gone down as one of the best acts of sportsmanship of all-time.

The ball marker was later bought by a collector and it has now been put up for sale on Ebay with a price of $39,000 — or £31,278.82.

Nicklaus later explained he had too much respect for Jacklin to ask him to putt out.

The American, now 80, said: “I very quickly thought about Tony Jacklin and what he had meant to British golf.

“I said ‘I’m not going to give Tony Jacklin the opportunity to miss it’.”