The tee shot at Augusta National which Tiger Woods says is the ‘toughest’ any player faces at the Masters Tournament

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Tiger Woods claims one tee shot at Augusta National is the toughest any player faces in the Masters Tournament.

Augusta’s set-up has been changed considerably since Woods’ debut in 1996. Adding yardage has been at the forefront of the alterations.

The second tee box was moved back in 2024, and a change was also made to the par-five 13th the year prior. The 13th tee shot is regarded as one of the toughest on the course. Pine trees guard the right of the fairway, and the hazard guards the left.

In fact, every tee shot on Amen Corner provides a test. The wind on the 12th plays tricks with the field, whilst hitting the fairway on the 11th is essential in order to leave the green with a par on the scorecard.

What Tiger Woods said about the 11th hole at Augusta National

Woods actually believes the 11th tee shot is the hardest at Augusta National.

Speaking in a hole-by-hole guide published in 2016, Woods explained why the first part of Amen Corner is so difficult.

“No. 11 immediately tests us with the toughest tee shot we face during the Tournament. I hit driver and try my best to keep the ball out of the forest on the right.” Woods said.

“You see a lot of balls in those pines because players shy away from the left — and for good reasons. For starters, it shortens the hole if you play up the right side. Doing so also gives you a much better angle into the green, so you don’t have to flirt with the pond guarding the left half of the putting surface.

“Depending on conditions, I’ll usually hit my approach with a club ranging from a 6-iron to a 9-iron. On Sunday in 2001, I hit a 9-iron from 145 yards and nearly jarred it, then took the lead. Taking such an aggressive line was 100 per cent club- and situation-dependent.

“I had carried the trees on the right side and that left me the perfect club and angle into the green. I simply took advantage of the opportunity. But that doesn’t happen all that often. Most of the time, the approach is of a much more conservative nature.”

• READ MORE: How fast Tiger Woods was hitting his tee shots in the TGL compared to Rory McIlroy

Is No. 11 the hardest hole at Augusta National?

The 11th hole is the second-hardest in the history of the Masters Tournament, with a scoring average of 4.64. The tenth scene of Rory McIlroy’s capitulation in 2011 is the toughest.

However, there’s no doubt the 11th sets the tone for some players heading through Amen Corner. A bogey or double bogey can prove extremely costly, particularly with the daunting par-three 12th to follow.

Pars on 11 and 12 turn the par-five 13th into a hole which can be capitalised on. Yet, if two or three shots are dropped at the start of Amen Corner, the tee shot on 13 suddenly looks a lot more daunting.

12, in particular,r has dashed many Masters’ hopes. Jordan Spieth collapsed on the par-three in 2016 when hunting a second green jacket. Francesco Molinari’s 2019 hopes were also dashed on the iconic short hole.