PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — For the last 75 years, the golf landscape never changed. March brought anticipation of azaleas and Amen Corner, of the drive down Magnolia Lane and the chase for a green jacket.

The annual road to the Masters took a major detour Friday — but not a dead end, like other tournaments — when Augusta National said the Masters would be postponed because of increasing risks with the new coronavirus.

It was expected, but no less jarring, even as the Masters joined other big sporting events that were suspended (NBA), delayed (Major League Baseball) or canceled (NCAA basketball tournament).

Xander Schauffele was quick to find hope.

“Well, postponed is a comforting word,” Schauffele said. “Canceled is another.”

Augusta National offered no details except for Chairman Fred Ridley saying he hopes the postponement puts the club in the best position to safely host the Masters “at some later date.”

The announcement capped off 24 hours that began with hope golf could be played without fans and ended with the reality that it had to follow along with other sports and step away.

Even the Masters.

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said his “gut-wrenching” decision to cancel the rest of The Players Championship this week and the next three tournaments on the schedule was based largely on Orlando’s theme parks shutting down and travel for the international players.

“Even though we have a safe environment and we’ve done all the right things, we can’t proceed,” Monahan said. “It’s not right to proceed.”

That got little argument from the players, who suspected this was coming.

Rory McIlroy, the world’s No. 1 player, preached the importance of everyone getting tested for the virus and saying golf would have no choice but to shut down if anyone — a player, caddie, support staff — tested positive.

That was on Thursday night, after he closed with three straight birdies. He went to bed before the tour’s decision to shut down golf and woke up Friday to several text messages that left him wondering when he would tee it up again.

“You’re obviously going to still keep playing golf, but you’re going out there practicing and not knowing what you’re practicing for,” McIlroy said as he headed into the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse to clean out his locker.

The PGA Tour has canceled four tournaments, one in the Dominican Republic.