"Imagine if No. 2 wasn't an easy par 5!"

Nick Seitz analyzes how they mangled how changes have made the first hole incredibly difficult. He says it now can play as short as 426 and as long as 463. And gets this typically brilliant insight out of Tom Fazio:

"Imagine if No. 2 wasn't an easy par 5!" says architect Tom Fazio, who has been involved in revisions of the course. "But grinding is so typical of that tournament."

Yes, since you got your hands on the place!

Jack Nicklaus pretty much sums up the change in this quote:

"Used to be, with no wind in your face, you could take it over the bunker and play a wedge to the green," says six-time Masters winner Jack Nicklaus. "But once they lengthened the tee, extended the bunker, brought trees in on the left—the face of the hill became an issue, especially with the wind coming into you. You were hitting a 3- or 4-iron when the green wanted a 7 or 8 max."

That's why it's No. 1!