Some players at this Masters are sentimental about the demise of the loblolly pine famously named the Eisenhower Tree, which was felled by a winter ice storm.
Some not so much.
“Not sorry to see that one go,’’ Graeme McDowell said. “I’ve been in that tree more times than I care to mention.’’
For now, the tree has been replaced by a small memorial pine cone that sits in its place along the left side of the 17th fairway.
The ice storm did what former President Eisenhower wanted done to it for all the years he was an Augusta National member and lobbied for it to be cut down because he was tired of hitting too many tee shots into its hungry branches. Without the tree to protect the left side of the hole as a hazard, the fairway is much easier to hit for players.
“With me being a fader of the ball, I’m pretty happy about [the tree being removed],’’ 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel said. “It was tough. When it gets cold around Augusta, that tree really got in play.’’
Other players, even those who had their tangles with the tree, were sad to see it no longer in its place.
“Seventeen is all about Ike’s Tree, so it’s unfortunate,’’ 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson said.
“I was very sad to hear it, but maybe I’m just a bit more sentimental,’’ 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman told the Augusta Chronicle. “I thought it was a big deal. To me, one of the beauties of Augusta National and one of the reasons why there are only two or three other courses on the planet that are held in such esteem is because the minute you drive through the front gate, everything is symbolic of something.
“The Eisenhower tree was symbolic. When you got to the 17th tee and if you’ve never been there before the story would get told. It’s one of the reasons why everyone has such a love affair with Augusta National.’’
Steve Stricker joked he was surprised to arrive at the course this week and not see another tree already in Ike’s place, considering how powerful and resourceful the club is.
“I’m surprised that there isn’t a bigger one in place already,’’ he said. “I’m sure over the next year or two there will be something there.’’
Added Schwartzel: “They can replace it and it will make the hole difficult, but it won’t have the same meaning.’’
According to the players, the 17th, an uphill 440-yard par-4 named “Nandina,’’ will remain a difficult test even without the presence of the 100-year-old tree, which hampered many tee shots.
“I think it still looks like a pretty tough hole. Even without [the tree] that fairway is pretty narrow at the top of the hill there,’’ defending champion Adam Scott said.
“It’s definitely a little wider, but it’s still a chute,’’ reigning U.S. Open champion Justin Rose said. “There’s no room for error.’’
Rose, who had a difficult tussle with the tree a few years ago, joked that the hole “looked great’’ without the tree this week.
“In 2007 that was a tee shot that really hurt me,’’ Rose recalled. “I had a great chance to win that year and made double bogey on 17. So for me, maybe it’s going to suit my eye just a little bit better.’’
Rory McIlroy, like Stricker, said he expects that, by the time the tournament arrives next year, there will be a new tree in Ike’s place.
“I’m sure it would be something just as big and spectacular to take its place,’’ McIlroy said. “It was sort of like an iconic landmark for Augusta.’’