WATCH: Tommy Fleetwood and Patrick Cantlay on ‘strange’ Masters without fans

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Golf365
November 10, 2020

Tommy Fleetwood and Patrick Cantlay admit this week’s Masters will be unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before.

Any fan of the Masters will know just how vital a role the patrons have played at Augusta National in years past, with the roars heard around the course adding so much to the drama and excitement of the event.

At the same time – fans or no fans – the players have an opportunity to walk away from this week’s action wearing a Green Jacket, and Fleetwood reckons that will give him all the motivation he needs.

“Majors are different but at the same time there’s always a sort of energy that you get from the crowds, even from a Monday, that just isn’t there,” he said.

“At the same time, it’s a major and you know they’re all career-defining weeks, so it doesn’t really make that much difference how you feel, but I do think there’s an energy that comes off crowds and especially at majors.

“I think everybody’s grown up watching golf with fans and it’s just not there at the moment, but hopefully soon it’ll be back.”

Cantlay, meanwhile, admits it’s going to be strange not to hear the cheers and roars that normally accompany players like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson at Augusta National.

“Hearing the roars on the golf course from far away when you could be on the front nine and someone goes out ahead of you and you think ‘Oh, someone must have eagled 13, or eagled 15’ – it will be strange to be on the golf course and not hear any of that.

“Especially if you were to play Sunday and have Tiger or Phil in front or behind you a couple of groups. Usually, the buzz around that group would be palpable, and this year you could be like, ‘So where’s Tiger?’

“So that will feel very strange.”