National recovers from fierce storms

Crews quickly clear course of all debris

Masters Tournament spectators listened to the drone of chainsaws and chipper shredders Tuesday after a series of ferocious thunderstorms pummeled the Augusta area with high winds and lightning.

At Augusta National Golf Club's famed Magnolia Lane, workers were out at dawn cutting up and removing one of the club's historic signature trees.

Most of the magnolias date to the 1850s, according to the media guide.

Phil Mickelson, last year's champion, even mentioned the stump during his media interview Tuesday, joking that he was surprised that club officials hadn't already replaced the tree.

"I was surprised, you know, that it wasn't replaced in the first half hour," he said with a smile, drawing laughter from reporters in the interview room. "I think chairman (Billy) Payne must have been sleeping."

After a night of sustained wind gusts reported at 70 miles per hour or more, workers with Bartlett Tree Experts busily sawed apart downed hardwood trees behind a flawlessly manicured No. 5 hole on the Par-3 Course on Tuesday morning.

Closer to the main clubhouse, workers and trucks from Empire Turf and Tree Service worked past noon removing dangling boughs from damaged longleaf pines near Ike's Cabin.

The forecast for Augusta for the rest of the week calls for warmer temperatures and plenty of sunshine.

Reach Rob Pavey at (706) 868-1222, ext. 119 orrob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.