AUGUSTA, Ga. — Thanks to a (hopefully) a once-in-a-lifetime delay, Augusta National has a chance this year to bring together Georgia's two most beloved sporting events: The Masters and college football.
The course announced Tuesday that College GameDay, ESPN's Saturday preview show for the day's action, would be broadcast live from Ike's Pond on the Par 3 course.
The program will air from 9 a.m.-noon before coverage begins of the third round on Saturday, Nov. 14.
“When exploring ways to showcase a fall Masters, we were drawn to the concept of hosting College GameDay at Augusta National to introduce the Tournament to a new audience and provide even more anticipation and excitement to the event,” Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley said in a statement. “We appreciate the collaboration with ESPN, our longtime broadcast partner, for this first-of-its-kind opportunity.”
That came with the news that the Par 3 Contest itself, held on the Wednesday before the tournament, was canceled.
“The fun and excitement of watching Masters competitors with their friends and family is what makes the Par 3 Contest such a special part of Masters week,” Ridley said. “We know that experience could not have been replicated without guests and patrons at Augusta National, and we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to bring back this signature tradition.”
The Masters announced earlier this year that the tournament would be played without patrons due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The tournament is set to begin on Thursday, Nov. 12.