Par-five 15th lengthened in 'significant' change at Augusta National

One of the easiest holes at Augusta National will be a little less easy when the world's best golfers contest the 7-10 April Masters in Georgia.

The Masters media guide released on Wednesday reveals that the storied par-five 15th, scene of so much drama over the years, has been lengthened by 20 yards, now officially measuring 550 yards.

The fairway has also been "recontoured."

It is one of three holes where "significant changes" have been made, the others coming at the par-four 11th and 18th.

Even with the lengthening of the 15th, it should still be easy reachable in two shots for virtually the entire field. However, the prospect of having to hit an extra club or two - for example a five-iron instead of a seven-iron - over the pond guarding the green will at least make the hole a little more dangerous.

The hole historically is the tournament's second-easiest, and last year averaged 4.77 strokes.

Known as Firethorn, it is a classic risk-reward hole that regularly produces everything from eagles to triple-bogeys.

It was where Gene Sarazen made the "shot heard around the world", an albatross that paved the way for his victory in 1935, at the second staging of an event known at the time as the Augusta National Invitation.

Sarazen back then hit his second shot with a four-wood from about 230 yards (yardage measurements were imprecise at the time).

More recently, Hideki Matsuyama bogeyed the hole last year after firing his second shot way over the green into a pond beyond, opening the door to his rivals before eventually prevailing to collect the Green Jacket.

In the other changes for this year, the difficult par-four 11th, already the second-hardest hole last year averaging 4.40 strokes, has been lengthened by 15 yards to 520 yards,