Byeong Hun An suggests one hole at Augusta was set up very unusually on the final day of The Masters, ‘I’ve never seen the flag there’

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The Masters is the most special and exciting golf tournament on Earth, but as a course, Augusta National sure does love to throw up a surprise or two for its players.

We’ve been treated to another enthralling four-day journey at The Masters 2025, with rousing comebacks, dramatic chokes, and some truly incredible shots that changed the course of the event.

If it wasn’t clear before, Augusta National is a phenomenally challenging golf course. The collapse of Bryson DeChambeau on the final day is proof enough of that, and the leader going into the final day, Rory McIlroy, suffered plenty of slip-ups, too.

Naturally, the course designers don’t make it easy. And, the decision to move the pin position on hole 16 for the final day has caused quite a stir.

• READ MORE: Rory McIlroy says what he did in the morning before his Masters showdown with Bryson DeChambeau

Byeong Hun An wasn’t a fan of the 16th hole pin position

The hole was changed as a homage to Jack Nicklaus’ iconic, Masters-winning round in 1975, but fans weren’t too happy with the decision to move it.

Speaking after his final round of -1 to register a two-under and, as things stand, a tie for 21st place, Byeong Hun An was asked about the 16th hole and he admitted it was an ‘unusual’ choice.

He said: “I think it’s tougher hole location, obviously. You’re not going to see as many birdies as left. It was unusual for me. I’ve never seen the flag there. I always watch TV, just left, you see a lot of birdies. How the winner has been birdieing the 16th hole, I don’t think that’s going to happen today. It’s a really tough hole.

“But yeah, it’s pretty hard, that flag. If you miss right, you’re going to have a tough bunker shot. If you miss it left — I had a great two-putt. Yeah, 50 years ago it would have been an easier pin than this year because of how firm and fast the greens are, but it’s not like it’s unplayable. It’s definitely playable because we always had a flag there I think one of those days.

“Even last year we had a little shorter and right of it. It’s just one of those flags, and it wasn’t impossible to get pars. It was a good pin, but I was just surprised it wasn’t like Saturday, Friday or Thursday.”

Byeong Hun An managed a par on the 16th hole on the final day, which, given the difficulty of the hole, is pretty impressive, really.

• READ MORE: What Bryson DeChambeau was spotted doing right after his third round at The Masters

Remembering iconic 1975 moment from Jack Nicklaus on hole 16

Rather than placing the pin in its usual spot, it was moved to the back right position that fans will recall as the location from the 1975 Masters, where Jack Nicklaus won his fifth green jacket.

It was a rollercoaster ride for Nicklaus on that iconic weekend. He went into day two one shot off the lead, before asserting his dominance on the rest of the pack heading into day three.

A slip there would allow Tom Weiskopf back in, but Nicklaus dug deep, and that birdie on 16 on the Sunday — the only player in the top eight to achieve that particular feat — would ultimately secure the Golden Bear the big win.

While the gesture to commemorate that historical moment is a nice touch, the fact that the folk at Augusta National have deviated from the norm is an odd move from an event so rich in legacy and tradition.

Nicklaus himself believes Augusta needs changes, but he’s more concerned with the sand they use and the length of the third hole needs extending than the pin position that helped him achieve that success 50 years ago.