AUGUSTA, Ga. — Something is missing from the Masters this year, a tradition that ranks right up there with Amen Corner, endless roars on Sunday afternoon and the winner’s green jacket.

Color.

Red, pink and white azaleas that typically are ablaze for the opening round, have lost their bloom or were wilting fast. The beautiful contrast of white against the lush course comes from sand in the bunkers, not dogwoods.

Spring arrived early in many parts of the country this year, and not even Augusta National was immune.

“I saw them, but it was last week,” defending champion Charl Schwartzel said, referring to the signature shrubs.

Indeed, the Masters has gone green.

The 13th hole has an estimated 1,600 azalea bushes — that’s why it’s called “Azalea” — yet there are only a dozen or so bushes behind the green that still have blooms. Fans on the course Monday for a practice round posed for pictures in front of one azalea bush whose pink flowers rested on a bed of pine needles.

Not to worry, golf fans. The tournament will manage to go on. The course is still as beautiful as ever, with sunlight filtering through the Georgia pines and not a blade of grass out of place. But it’s not the same. It’s like an actor without makeup. Wrigley Field without ivy. Ian Poulter dressed in white.

Masters Tee Times
By The Associated Press

At Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Ga.

A-Amateur
Thursday-Friday

7:50 a.m.-10:57 a.m. — Craig Stadler, Brendan Steele, Tim Clark
8:01 a.m.-11:08 a.m. — Jose Maria Olazabal, Robert Garrigus, a-Randal Lewis
8:12 a.m.-11:19 a.m. — Larry Mize, Paul Lawrie, Anders Hansen
8:23 a.m.-11:30 a.m. — Ross Fisher, Ryan Palmer, Harrison Frazar
8:34 a.m.-11:41 a.m. — Ben Crenshaw, Robert Karlsson, a-Bryden MacPherson
8:45 a.m.-11:52 a.m. — Adam Scott, Bo Van Pelt, Martin Kaymer
8:56 a.m.-12:14 p.m. — Steve Stricker, Padraig Harrington, Stewart Cink
9:07 a.m.-12:25 p.m. — Aaron Baddeley, K.T. Kim, Lucas Glover
9:18 a.m.-12:36 p.m. — Kyle Stanley, Jason Day, Bill Haas
9:29 a.m.-12:47 p.m. — Trevor Immelman, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose
9:40 a.m.-12:58 p.m. — Tom Watson, Johnson Wagner, a-Hideki Matsuyama
10:02 a.m.-1:09 p.m. — Matt Kuchar, Geoff Oglilvy, Y.E. Yang
10:13 a.m.-1:20 p.m. — Gary Woodland, Henrik Stenson, Alvaro Quiros
10:24 a.m.-1:31 p.m. — Charl Schwartzel, Keegan Bradley, a-Kelly Kraft
10:35 a.m.-1:42 p.m. — Tiger Woods, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Sang-Moon Bae
10:46 a.m.-1:53 p.m. — Luke Donald, Francesco Molinari, Nick Watney
10:57 a.m.-7:50 a.m. — Scott Verplank, Sean O’Hair, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano
11:08 a.m.-8:01 a.m. — Mark O’Meara, Chez Reavie, Martin Laird
11:19 a.m.-8:12 a.m. — Sandy Lyle, Simon Dyson, a-Corbin Mills
11:30 a.m.-8:23 a.m. — Ian Woosnam, Edoardo Molinari, Kevin Chappell
11:41 a.m.-8:34 a.m. — Louis Oosthuizen, Mark Wilson, Graeme McDowell
11:52 a.m.-8:45 a.m. — Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter, a-Patrick Cantlay
12:14 p.m.-8:56 a.m. — Kevin Na, Fredrik Jacobson, Ben Crane
12:25 p.m.-9:07 a.m. — John Senden, Jonthan Byrd, Paul Casey
12:36 p.m.-9:18 a.m. — Bernhard Langer, Jason Dufner, Charles Howell III
12:47 p.m.-9:29 a.m. — Mike Weir, Brandt Snedeker, Webb Simpson
12:58 p.m.-9:40 a.m. — Vijay Singh, Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk
1:09 p.m.-10:02 a.m. — Thomas Bjorn, Scott Stallings, Rory Sabbatini
1:20 p.m.-10:13 a.m. — Fred Couples, Darren Clarke, Ryo Ishikawa
1:31 p.m.-10:24 a.m. — David Toms, K.J. Choi, Sergio Garcia
1:42 p.m.-10:35 a.m. — Angel Cabrera, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson
1:53 p.m.-10:46 a.m. — Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Peter Hanson

It’s not the first time this has happened, and if nothing else, it should put the rumors to rest that Augusta National packs ice on the azaleas to keep them from blooming until Masters week.

Those aren’t the only rumors.

“I always heard they had hot and cold water running through the pipes to control when it blooms,” Jonathan Byrd said.

Byrd added his own piece of color — a pink ribbon on his cap with the letter “K” to celebrate the birth of his daughter, Kate, on Friday. He showed up at the Masters expecting to be asked about his chipping and putting, not jasmine and camellia.

Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy both won in the last month, trading spots at No. 1 in the world. Hunter Mahan has won twice.