2026 Masters: Phil Mickelson rips changes to 13th, 15th holes at Augusta National

In the last few years, players at The Masters had to adjust to changes at Augusta National Golf Club. The 13th and 15th holes have a new look, but they’re not sitting well with former champion Phil Mickelson.

Mickelson isn’t playing in the 2026 Masters while tending to a family health matter, he previously announced. But the two-time champion is still watching this weekend and took to social media to criticize the changes at Augusta and how they’re impacting scores.

In 2023, Augusta National lengthened the 13th hole from 510 yards to 545 yards. That came a year after the 15th hole got an extra 20 yards. Mickelson noted that no player had an eagle on the par-5 13th hole on Friday, which he called “crazy.”

“Watching @TheMasters and seeing so few players long enough to go for 13 &15 now has taken away so much excitement and intrigue to the back nine,” Mickelson wrote on X on Friday. “Another example of how longer isn’t always better.”

The 15th hole, in particular, saw some high scores during Thursday’s opening round. Fred Couples hit into the water twice while recording a +4 on the hole, as did Robert MacIntyre and Danny Willett. It marks the first time since 1998 that the 15th hole saw three quadruple bogeys in a single round, according to the AP.

Couples, 66, said he hit his layup shot where he wanted. But he didn’t make excuses for hitting the ball in the water hazard twice as he eventually finished +6 on the day and missed the cut at +9 through two rounds of the 2026 Masters.

“I laid up perfect. I had 90 yards so I had to carry it 85 (yards) and 5 (yards),” Couples said, via the AP. “Sometimes when you don’t try and hit a good shot you forget what the hell you’re doing. I have no excuse. I just didn’t hit them far enough.”

Heading into Saturday’s Moving Day at Augusta National, Rory McIlroy holds a commanding lead at the 2026 Masters. He made six birdies in his final seven holes on Friday, including a chip-in on the 17th, to get to 12-under on the week. That puts him six shots ahead of Sam Burns and Patrick Reed, who are tied for second at 6-under. McIlroy’s lead is the largest through 36 holes in Masters history as he looks to become the first repeat champion since Tiger Woods in 2001-02.