2023 Masters: Weather could play a major factor

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The 87th Masters is expected to be wet ... very wet

Thursday's opening round is forecasted to be played under mostly cloudy conditions, with the possibility of a thunderstorm. But come Friday, things are expected to get dicey. The forecast calls for scattered thunder showers Friday, heavy rain and thunder Saturday and more steady rain and thunderstorms on Sunday.

If weather were to push the tournament beyond the weekend, well, rain is expected Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday, too.

What will Augusta National do?

If there is a course in the world that can handle wet conditions, it's Augusta National. The course features a SubAir vacuum system which pulls water down into pipes below the surface, drying out the grass.

But even a vacuum system can only do so much in the face of persistent rain.

Tournament organizers do have options to squeeze in play, including earlier tee times, front- and back-nine starts and/or going from twosomes to threesomes. But again, there still needs to be a lightning-free window that also doesn't include heavy rain.

A wet history

Rain is often a factor in the Masters, with 47 of 86 tournaments experiencing some level of precipitation, according to Sports Illustrated. But rarely has it led to a Monday finish. The last time that happened was 1983