Amen Corner Poised to Play Pivotal Role at Masters Again

The famous three-hole stretch at Augusta National could decide the 90th Masters tournament

Apr. 9, 2026 at 1:24am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the action and drama of Amen Corner at the Masters, with overlapping planes of green, white, and blue representing the lush Augusta National landscape and the challenging golf holes.Amen Corner's iconic trio of holes at Augusta National could once again prove pivotal in determining the outcome of the 90th Masters tournament.Augusta Today

Amen Corner, the renowned trio of holes (Nos. 11, 12 and 13) at Augusta National Golf Club, is expected to once again play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the 90th Masters tournament. This iconic stretch of the course has been the site of numerous dramatic moments and lead changes over the decades, and there's little reason to think that tradition won't continue this year.

Why it matters

Amen Corner is considered one of the most challenging and influential three-hole stretches in all of golf. The combination of the demanding par-4 11th, the treacherous par-3 12th, and the risk-reward par-5 13th has often proved to be a make-or-break moment for Masters contenders. How players navigate this pivotal section of the course could very well determine who slips on the coveted green jacket.

The details

The 11th hole, 'White Dogwood,' is a 520-yard par-4 that requires an exacting tee shot and an approach over Rae's Creek. The 12th hole, 'Golden Bell,' is a 155-yard par-3 with Rae's Creek crossing the front of the green and swirling winds that often confound players. The 13th hole, 'Azalea,' is a 545-yard par-5 with Rae's Creek running along the left side and crossing the front of the green, creating a classic risk-reward scenario.

  • Over the past nine decades, Amen Corner has been the site of numerous memorable Masters moments, both good and bad.
  • In 1992, Fred Couples' ball somehow stayed out of the creek on the 12th hole en route to his Masters victory.
  • In 1987, Augusta native Larry Mize holed out a chip on the 11th hole in a playoff to defeat Greg Norman.
  • In 1996, Greg Norman's epic collapse around Amen Corner, including a tee shot into the azalea bushes on the 12th, paved the way for Nick Faldo's win.
  • In 2010, Phil Mickelson hit a memorable 6-iron approach from the pine needles on the 13th hole to set up an eagle and eventual victory.

The players

Gary Woodland

A PGA Tour player who described Amen Corner as 'as pivotal a three-hole stretch as we're going to see in golf.'

Cam Young

A PGA Tour player who said that the Amen Corner stretch 'can be an incredibly important turning point in your round' and that the 12th hole is 'a huge test of commitment.'

Akshay Bhatia

A PGA Tour player who called the 11th hole 'one of the hardest holes I think we play all year' and said the 12th hole 'might be the best 150-yard par-3 in the world.'

Jacob Bridgeman

A PGA Tour player making his first Masters appearance who has observed that 'it seems like every year the tournament goes through there on Sunday and that's kind of where things happen.'

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What they’re saying

“It's as pivotal a three-hole stretch as we're going to see in golf. I don't know if you can see a bigger shift in three holes in the middle of a golf tournament that you can like at Amen Corner.”

— Gary Woodland, PGA Tour player

“That stretch of holes can be an incredibly important turning point in your round. They're three holes that you can take a lot of confidence from — especially if you get through 11 well. Twelve is a huge test of commitment in my opinion. It's one of those where you don't have full control over the ball. The wind is always a little bit of a question mark.”

— Cam Young, PGA Tour player

“Eleven is as demanding of a par-4 as you're going to see. You've got to hit two golf shots. And 12, we all know, there's not many 150-yard par-3s that we're not aiming at pins on Sunday, and that's definitely one of them. And 13 is one of the best par-5s in the world. You can make 3 … and you can make 7 pretty quickly. I think that's the definition of a good hole.”

— Gary Woodland, PGA Tour player

“Eleven is one of the hardest holes I think we play all year. Then 12 might be the best 150-yard par-3 in the world. It's so hard, you can look like a fool, (but) you can also look great hitting it to 40 feet.”

— Akshay Bhatia, PGA Tour player

“It seems like every year the tournament goes through there on Sunday and that's kind of where things happen. That's where mistakes are made or birdies are made to kind of jump the leaderboard. A lot of history there.”

— Jacob Bridgeman, PGA Tour player making Masters debut

What’s next

The 90th Masters tournament will take place from April 10-13, 2026 at Augusta National Golf Club. All eyes will be on Amen Corner as players navigate that pivotal three-hole stretch, which has often proved to be a make-or-break moment in determining the eventual champion.

The takeaway

Amen Corner at Augusta National has long been one of the most famous and influential stretches of holes in all of golf. With its combination of challenging par-4s, treacherous par-3s, and risk-reward par-5s, this iconic trio of holes has the potential to dramatically shift the momentum of the Masters tournament. As the 90th edition approaches, players will be laser-focused on navigating Amen Corner successfully, knowing that their performance there could very well be the difference between slipping on the green jacket or going home empty-handed.