At Augusta National, patience and experience pay off

"It's not like we play the better the older we get," said Jiménez. “It's that the more we play Augusta, the more experience and knowledge we have of the track. Plus, patience is essential with Augusta, and we're probably a little more patient and less impulsive as we get older.

In addition, many older players have remained fit and competitive.

] "There was no Champions tour in the 1970s," said Harmon. “My dad was supposed to show up after not playing a competitive round in five years. At the time, those guys didn't want to embarrass themselves. Now, with someone like Freddie Couples, it pops into his head that he could win it.

Miller Brady, president of the Champions Tour, said the ongoing competition had indeed increased the longevity of the players.

] "These guys, unlike the generation before them, are much healthier in their 50s and 60s," he said. & # 39; Look at Bernhard Langer; he continues to play well and wins the Champions Tour.

Some seasoned players have a feel for Augusta National. They understand that the Masters has a rhythm of its own, although this year may be different without the emotional support of fans packed around the greens.

"There are certain intervals in a round that when you pass them, they give you confidence," said Ben Crenshaw, who won the Masters in 1984 and 1995 when he was 43.

"The course prompts you to try certain things. In the tricky areas, like Amen Corner, you always see special things happening. I've had some great things there and some wonderful crashes."