Augusta chairman responds to calls The Masters could be cancelled in 2025

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley is 'confident' The Masters will still go ahead as planned in April 2025 despite the famous golf course sustaining 'a lot of damage' as a result of Hurricane Helene.

More than 180 people were killed from Hurricane Helene, which made landfall as a Cat.4 hurricane in Florida's Big Bend region.

Two-time major champion John Daly recently admitted he suffered 'total loss and devastation' after his residence and homes of his family were severely damaged.

Hurricane Helene reportedly brought 140mph winds and forced several states to declare a state of emergency. 

It also caused huge damage as it swept through Georgia, Florida, the Carolinas, Virginia and Tennessee. 

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

Related:

• Disgraced two-time major champion set for Masters return in 2025
• Two-time major champion suffers 'total loss and devastation'

As a result of Hurricane Helene and the significant damage made to Augusta National GC, there had been fears among a number of golf fans that The Masters could be cancelled in 2025. 

But Augusta National chairman Ridley believes golf's first major of the season will go ahead as planned from 10-13 April 2025. 

"I'm confident that the Masters will be held, it will be held on the dates that it´s scheduled to be held, and I think we have a few announcements to make with respect to that project, so stay tuned," Ridley said at a news conference ahead of this week's Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Japan. 

Ridley added: "We've had literally dozens of people working at the club and what I've really been the most proud of is while everyone certainly is focused on getting us back up and running, our employees have been so focused on the community at large.

"As far as the golf course, it really was affected just as the rest of the community was. There was a lot of damage. We have a lot of people working hard to get us back up and running. We don´t really know exactly what that´s going to mean but I can tell if you it´s humanly possible, we´ll be back in business sooner rather than later."

On Augusta National's partnership with Central Savannah River Area to raise huge funds in the recovery efforts, Ridley said: "We have been able to take care of our employees but we´ve also been focused on what the Red Cross and other organizations are doing at Augusta, and our employees have really been a big part of that, which I think really speaks for them and the culture at the club."

Watched our latest video?