Augusta, GA
Scottie Scheffler enjoys practice round with his mom ahead of bad weather at the Masters
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler took advantage of ideal, warm conditions on Sunday at the Masters, playing a practice round at Augusta National with his mother, Diane, ahead of some predicted bad weather.
The tournament announced Sunday evening that patron gates would not open as scheduled on Monday because of anticipated heavy rain and thunderstorms. Forecasts called for rainfall of 1 inch or more, and the club cited safety concerns in barring spectators from the course.
Advertisement
That turned Sunday, with temperatures in the low 80s and a southwesterly breeze, into a good day for players who arrived early to get some work in ahead of the year’s first major championship. The course was in immaculate condition, although it lost some trees in September when the region was hit by deadly Hurricane Helene.
Past champions are encouraged to bring guests out for a round, and Augusta members played the course in between groups of tournament competitors. Scheffler, the defending champion and the world’s top-ranked player, brought his mom as he seeks to join Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only back-to-back winners at the Masters.
Although he got off to a slow start this year while recovering from surgery to his right hand, which he injured while using a wine glass to make ravioli over Christmas, Scheffler remains the favorite to win his third green jacket, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Second-ranked Rory McIlroy, a two-time winner in 2025 who is seeking to complete the career Grand Slam, has the next-best odds.
Not every practice round Sunday had such high stakes. Tom Watson, who at age 75 only participates in the ceremonial opening tee shot, played with 2004 champion Mike Weir and two guests. After lagging a long putt from the front of the 18th green to tap-in range, Watson shouted, “That’s four!”
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Augusta, GA
Cleanup top of mind as Augusta leaders finalize SPLOST projects
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Poor infrastructure and lack of maintenance are complaints we hear every year in Augusta, and city leaders agree.
While leaders narrow down the list of projects you could see on your ballot in November, neighbors say there’s an elephant in the room that needs to be addressed, and that’s years of alleged neglect.
Neighbors say, if money is going to go anywhere, it should go towards trash, overgrown weeds and blighted properties.
Some are taking it upon themselves to enact change, but they say they can’t do it by themselves.
Some roads crumble with cracked sidewalks and grass so tall it looks as if it could swallow you.
“You can see where basically the hillside is washing away, and it’s falling down here onto the embankment here,” said Eric Gaines, an Augusta resident. ”It just gets worse as we go further down here, and then, not to mention, this street has been a dumping ground.”
There is a story on Railroad Street, and Gaines is helping to find a better ending.
“ My grandparents grew up over here on Nicholas Street, and I remember coming down here as a kid; there used to be houses all up and down railroad street,” said Gaines.
Now he’s building a house in the neighborhood that built him.
“That’s the only way that we’re gonna be able to get some of these neighborhoods cleaned up, is that some of us are gonna personally have to come in and put our own dollars into these communities in order to kind of jumpstart some type of progress,” he said.

And he is already getting the attention of those in charge.
“ I’ve been working with them as well as Commissioner Pulliam and Commissioner Scott, and they’ve been very instrumental with getting some of these things done,” said Gaines.
Gaines, however, wants to see the talk turn into something bigger
“The folks here also deserve nice, safe and clean neighborhoods to take a part in, and I know that there are many constraints, but this right here is years of not being paid any attention to,” he said.
Gaines tells us he’s met with commissioners and the engineering department as well.
He says they are working together to hopefully start a site survey at the start of next year.
As for the SPLOST 9 list, as they work to finalize the list of projects that you can vote on, infrastructure was one of their top priorities as they finalize that list.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Knights Templar Eye Foundation awards $90,000 grant to Augusta University researcher

We recognize you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which
enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore access cannot be granted at this time.
For any issues, contact enews@wfxg.com or call 706-650-5400.
Augusta, GA
Nike Peach Jam draws top talent and economic boost to North Augusta

We recognize you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which
enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore access cannot be granted at this time.
For any issues, contact enews@wfxg.com or call 706-650-5400.
-
Culture1 week ago
Try to Match These Snarky Quotations to Their Novels and Stories
-
News6 days ago
Video: Trump Compliments President of Liberia on His ‘Beautiful English’
-
News1 week ago
Texas Flooding Map: See How the Floodwaters Rose Along the Guadalupe River
-
Business1 week ago
Companies keep slashing jobs. How worried should workers be about AI replacing them?
-
Finance1 week ago
Do you really save money on Prime Day?
-
Technology1 week ago
Apple’s latest AirPods are already on sale for $99 before Prime Day
-
News5 days ago
Video: Clashes After Immigration Raid at California Cannabis Farm
-
Politics1 week ago
Journalist who refused to duck during Trump assassination attempt reflects on Butler rally in new book