Hurricane Helene: Fred Ridley addresses status of 2025 Masters Tournament after damage at Augusta National

Much of the southeastern area of the country saw significant damage over the past few days due to Hurricane Helene. That includes Augusta, Georgia, the home of The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.

Fred Ridley updated the condition of the most-renowned course in golf in a statement on Thursday. He said that they sustained “a lot of damage” like other areas around them with the grounds crew already working to fix it.

“As far as the golf course, it really was affected just as the rest of the community was,” Ridley said in a press conference. “There was a lot of damage and we have a lot of people working hard to get us back up and running.”

However, Ridley also focused on the overall work that the affected communities need right now. That comes with the overall death toll from the storm rising to nearly 200 people by the end of this week to make it one of the deadliest storms in the last two decades.

“We’ve had literally dozens of people working at the club and what I really have been most proud of is, while everyone certainly is focused on getting us up, back and running, our employees have been so focused on the community at large,” said Ridley. “We’ve been able to take care of our employees but we’ve also been focused on what the Red Cross and other organizations are doing in Augusta and our employees really have been a big part of that, which I think really speaks for them and the culture at the club.”

As for the 2025 Masters Tournament, Ridley said the event is still on for next year from April 7th through the 13th. That will allow them to turn their attention to the present with The Masters still on schedule in six months.

“We don’t really know exactly what that’s going to mean, but I can tell you…if it’s humanly possible, we will be back in business sooner rather than later,” said Ridley.

“The Masters will be held (and) it will be on the dates it’s scheduled to be held.”

Augusta National donates $5 million to relief for Hurricane Helene

With that, Augusta National has also been active in the necessary relief efforts.

In a separate release on Thursday, Ridley spoke about the devastation around their area. In doing so, the club also pledged to continue working with foundations and volunteers, including a donation of $5 million to the Hurricane Helene Community Crisis Fund.

Augusta National Golf Club, in partnership with the Community Foundation for the CSRA, is donating $5 million towards the Hurricane Helene Community Crisis Fund, which will support local relief efforts in response to the devastating impact of the storm throughout the greater… pic.twitter.com/jlIWaSoKef

— The Masters (@TheMasters) October 3, 2024

“Most of you know that thousands of families in the Augusta community and across the southeast have experienced unthinkable loss in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Our hearts go out to all who have been affected by this natural disaster,” said Ridley. “I was in Augusta in the days immediately after the storm and have seen firsthand its devastating impact on our employees, community, neighbors, and business owners. It’s certainly the most destructive storm the area has experienced in our lifetimes.”

“Our foremost concern today is how we can support our employees and neighbors in the community who have been gravely impacted. To that end, Augusta National is working daily with the Red Cross and community foundation for the Central Savannah River area,” Ridley said. “I’d like to thank the first responders, volunteers, and neighbors who have come to the aid of the Augusta community and to all those who have been affected…This is an incredibly difficult moment for many in Augusta and throughout our region. It will take all of us to see our community through these challenging times.”