Masters players, patrons pause to enjoy rare eclipse

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Along with skips on 16, Monday’s practice round also brought a solar eclipse at Augusta National Golf Club.

Things started to dim slightly around 1:50 p.m., and we saw the peak at 3:08. While it didn’t get totally dark here in Augusta, it did feel like you were looking through an Instagram filter – and you could feel the temperature dip slightly.

Masters patrons and players alike donned their complimentary eclipse glasses to watch the rare solar eclipse on Monday.

Augusta National Golf Club employees even took a moment to look at the phenomenon.

They got to experience 76.1% of the eclipse and a once-in-a-lifetime memory

Even golfers paused to look at the sky, as the moon briefly upstaged the sun.

“It looks like a circle in, like, a broken slot,” Jordan Hill said.

He’s enjoying his first time at the Masters – and that’s not surprising, since he’s named for Masters champ Jordan Spieth.

“I got his autograph,” Jordan said.

Although he says the eclipse will be tough to top – he has big plans in 20 years when he sees his next one.

“I’ll be nearly famous and doing a lot of stuff playing golf here,” Jordan said.

One family from Neptune Beach, Fla., says they’re the luckiest in the planet.

They won back-to-back lotteries to be at the Masters for a second year in a row, so they were soaking in their good fortune, and Mother Nature’s timing.

Even astronomy buffs like Mark McKay traded in telescopes for tee times.

“I’m from Fort Fort Worth, Texas,” he said. “Totality is happening over my house, but I’m here, so this is more important than totality.”

“A full eclipse is a big deal. And to be at the Masters to see that, I think the next one is 20 years from now,” said Daniel Hutto, a third-time patron. “And to be at the Masters to see that, I mean hey you can’t ask for better than that.”

The only thing better? Snacks to celebrate the sky: Moon Pies.

“My buddy from Salt Lake City has never had a Moon Pie. I’m from the South, so I’m like, ‘This is an institution here; you gotta try it.’ So we got a Moon Pie.”

A Moon Pie during an eclipse. It doesn’t get much better.

Some of the players have mentioned it in interviews Monday.

“I found a couple of Masters eclipse glasses, which I will be keeping those for absolutely the rest of my life. Those will be some collectibles that will be in my office forever. Yeah, I guess we got about four or so hours so I’ll be watching it,” Will Zalatoris said.

“Yeah, you know, Texas is right in the middle of it all, and so I was telling some of my buddies in Dallas that I was going to be at Augusta the day the eclipse and they were like, you’ve got to be kidding me. That’s the coolest thing ever. It’ll be fun.”

It was a family-oriented event for Luke List.

“I was talking to my daughter and you can make one out of cereal box, so she’ll probably use that over the cool Masters glasses,” he said.

“I don’t know, hopefully try to get off property by then and try to catch it with the kids.”

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