LOS ANGELES, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Augusta National has added 155 yards to six holes for the Masters Golf Tournament in 2006, making the course 7,445 yards long.
The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday the course will be longer than ever and will rank as the second-longest course in major championship history. It will trail only Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wis., which measured 7,514 yards when the 2004 PGA Championship was played there.
To give the players a taste of what they will encounter, the first hole will be 455 yards long.
"These are the greatest players in the world, so I wouldn't expect them to be frightened," Augusta National Chairman Hootie Johnson told the paper in response to an e-mail about the changes.
"If Tiger Woods hits four really good drives, or Vijay (Singh) or Davis (Love III) or Ernie Els, I don't know a course they don't have an advantage on. So you have to keep it in play," said Fred Couples.
