Augusta chairman confident Masters will go on as club focuses on community recovery from Helene

Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Augusta Wednesday afternoon to survey Helene damage in one of the hardest-hit cities.
Andy Brown takes a break on top of what remains of a tree that destroyed his SUV when it fell during Hurricane Helene on in Augusta, Ga., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley said Thursday he was confident the Masters would be held as scheduled in April as the club directs its attention and resources to helping the area recover from devastating damage from Hurricane Helene.

Augusta National and the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area announced a joint $5 million donation to a fund providing essential services throughout the greater Augusta area.

Ridley was a few days late arriving in Japan for the Asia-Pacific Amateur. He said the home of the Masters sustained “a lot of damage,” just like the rest of the Georgia city on the border with South Carolina.