Tiger and the Red Shirt headed out on Sunday at Augusta. It was a familiar scene with thousands cheering on the four-times Masters champion. But this was a morning tee time and 30 minutes before High Noon. Except Tiger's train had long gone. There would be no Green Jacket this week. A straightjacket maybe.

Woods had to say sorry on Saturday for kicking his club on Friday. He slammed his club into the tee at the 13th on Saturday and probably said sorry for that on Sunday, too. Sorry seems to be the easiest word, these days for Tiger. It's one thing, saying it, but he has to mean it. The memory of his four rounds at the 76th Masters will be of temper tantrums, club throwing and F-bombs. If a six-year-old had behaved like that he'd have been sent to sit on the naughty spot for 36 minutes (that's one minute for each year of his life, imposing Supernanny rules).

After his birdie on 18 yesterday he let out an ironic roar. The Tiger that roared here for the first time in 1997 with his "Hello World Goodbye Rivals" victory hasn't won for seven years at Augusta. On the 18th green in the final round this year, he was five-over-par and the Mouse That Roared.

What the heck happened to the Tiger that won at Bay Hill just two weeks ago? "Tiger does not have self belief in his game right now," said Nick Faldo. "I think it's a mental problem. He has to find an absolute go-to shot. At the moment there is no safe shot in his bag." So Tiger is back to being not back. Again. Compelling, isn't it?

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There is little doubt that Phil Mickelson enters the final round of the 2012 Masters as favourite to slip his arms into the Green Jacket this evening, after a third round of 66, six-under-par, left him a shot behind third-round leader Peter Hanson.

Bernhard Langer, Masters champion in 1985 and 1993, shared his expectations for the final round in an exclusive interview with Golf Monthly last night.

"The fourth round promises to be very exciting," starts Langer, who himself shot an excellent 72 in the first round here on Thursday, before misfortune struck in the second round and a score of 80 left the 54-year-old German on the wrong side of the halfway cut.

"Looking at the leaderboard, the favourite to win has to be Phil Mickelson, simply because he has played very well over the last two days, he has won here three times before and he will be the crowd favourite.

"Peter Hanson is playing fantastic golf but I just don't know if he will be able to keep it going under the circumstances, so my other pick from the leading group would be Louis Oosthuizen. He has already won a major, but then Bubba Watson could sneak in there."

Sweden's Hanson, 34, shot the low round of the 2012 Masters so far with his 65, seven under par yesterday, and so he will tee-off last today, in the final group with Mickelson. South African Oosthuizen, who won the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews, sits a shot behind Mickelson, and he will play in the penultimate group alongside American Watson, who is three shots off Hanson's lead.

"Oosthuizen has a wonderful swing, great technique, although Bubba is the longest out of the players on the leaderboard," adds Langer. "Oosthuizen has a pretty nifty touch with the putter too, and that is what actually wins the tournament - the player who can make the crucial six or eight-foot putts."

Article courtesy of Mercedes-Benz, International Partner of the Masters Tournament

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Hanging out in the shade of the oak tree behind the clubhouse in the roped off VIP area is THE place to bump into golf's IN crowd. It's also a prime spot for watching the players tee off the 1st.

Bubba almost got knocked out by someone flinging open the door of the grill room bar opposite the locker room just as the American was heading out to the tee. Rory ambled through the crowd high-fiving kids. Westwood, like his horse, Hoof It, had his blinkers on (okay sunglasses) as he walked through the throng to the practice putting green. His caddie Billy Foster winked at Westwood's manager Chubby Chandler.

Craning for a view of Westwood and McIlroy was the BBC's Breakfast Show host Chris Evans resplendent in a pork pie boater. He's working with Iain Carter and the Five Live Team and loving his second visit to the Masters.

"I've put my name down for the lottery," he said. The lottery is not the one on the telly with the magic balls but the one that allows the media to put their name in a hat for a chance to play Augusta National on Monday morning.

"That would be such a cool thing to do," Evans said revealing his 13 handicap. Meanwhile a disappointed world number one was tucked in a corner dissecting his three-over-par 75 that left him at seven-over-par for the tournament. "I feel flat now," he said. "There is nothing worse than waking up on Sunday knowing that no matter what you do is not going to be good enough."

Keeping all the great unwashed people at bay was a Richmond County Sheriff perched on a stool. He had a big hat and a pistol but no horse. They're banned at Augusta - along with mobile phones and running.

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Yesterday afternoon's warm sunshine over Augusta, that reflected the outstanding second round of 67, five-under-par, by Fred Couples, was temporarily eclipsed at the end of the day by the swirling storm of Tiger Woods.

Having arrived in Augusta with so much hope, and promising his finest golf, Tiger's swing deserted him on the back nine yesterday, which is literally the last place in the world where a golfer would wish it to happen. Once his swing had bolted, so did Tiger's composure, and his clubs made an early bit for the exit too, as Tiger dropped his nine-iron over his shoulder on the 16th tee in despair, before a petulant kick sent the offending club spiraling to the back of the tee.

Kicking clubs on the 16th tee at Augusta? It was back in 1967 that Augusta's founder and 'President in Perpetuity' Bobby Jones wrote; "In golf, customs of etiquette an decorum are just as important as rules governing play... excessive demonstrations by a player or his partisans are not proper because of the possible effect upon other competitors".

Woods' playing partners yesterday were Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and South Korea's Bae Sang-moon. Forty-eight-year-old Jimenez is playing in his 14th Masters this year; Woods could have picked up his bag, spun it over his head and launched it into the lake in front of Augusta's 16th tee, and battle-worn Jimenez would not have flinched. Twenty-five-year-old Bae, on the other hand, is making his Masters debut this week - he is a PGA Tour rookie given the daunting challenge of playing with Woods for the first two rounds - a difficult task even if Woods was the model of Augusta's expected behaviour. What an unlikely vision.

Japanese amateur Hideki Matsuyama spoke yesterday of the smiles and support he received from playing partner Tom Watson, despite the language barrier between the two. Watson finished on seven-over-par to miss the cut by two. Watson may be 62, but missing the cut would have hurt nonetheless.

At the age of 36, Woods has 14 Majors in the bag, but he still has a lot to learn.

As for Bae, he emerged from Hurricane Tiger unscathed, at two over par and a shot ahead of his chief distractor. Today he has a third-round pairing with another 25-year-old Masters rookie, American Kevin Chappell, so the third round should be a breeze.

Article courtesy of Mercedes-Benz, International Partner of the Masters Tournament

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Members of the God Squad have been handing out leaflets on the road opposite the entrance to Augusta National. They've been wearing T-shirts with slogan "Jesus Loves You" and "Jesus Saves".

Most golf fans here believe their redemption lies not behind the Pearly Gates but inside the black gates of this heavenly golf course. They would have won more custom had they been selling T-shirts with slogans such as "Jesus Loves Rory," or "Jesus Saves Par".

The patrons (that's spectators, not pub drinkers) have adopted Rory McIlroy. America's fling with the 22-year-old from Holywood, Belfast has taken on Hollywood, Los Angeles proportions. America hugged Rory after his 80 on Sunday last year. They cheered his name and adored him here on Friday. He is at four-under-par and in a beautiful position to be fitted for his first green jacket.

Some dude by the 6th green yelled: "He's coming. He's coming." They used to say that about Tiger. They say it about Rory now, too. The dude also yelled: "Roxanne, Roxanne". He's lost her in the melee that resembled the queue on the opening day of the Oxford Street sales. Presumably the dude wanted to remind Roxanne that she doesn't have to wear that dress tonight.

With Tiger teeing off after lunch, thousands tramped up the 1st at 10.35am with Rory clutching their Bloody Marys in plastic 2012 Masters beakers. McIlroy praised the support he had at Augusta. "It doesn't quite feel like a home game but I certainly don't feel like a foreigner. It's really nice to hear and see them all."

The Rory Love Train leaves the station again on Saturday. If you don't have a ticket, pull up a sofa, pour yourself a large one and switch on your TV.

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The soft ground conditions for the first round of the 2012 Masters work both ways: the greens become more receptive on the one hand, but the course plays a lot longer on the other. For many of the senior golfers in the Masters field, almost all of whom are past champions at Augusta, low scoring was particularly hard to come by.

Amateur Randal Lewis, at 54 the oldest ever winner of the US Mid-Amateur title, which qualified him for the Masters, is the only golfer aged over 50 in this year's field not to own a Green Jacket. In his first ever-competitive round at Augusta Lewis shot 81, nine over par, which was five shots better than 1988 champion Sandy Lyle, if nothing else.

"A soft golf course doesn't help," admitted Lewis after his round. "I was hitting a lot of hybrids in there today.  It's tough to come into these greens with hybrids with any kind of level of accuracy."
 
It is one thing to hit the green at Augusta National, but to score well, approach shots need to find the part of the green.
 
Craig Stadler, the 1982 Masters champion now aged 58, struggled up the hill to the first green, eventually holed out for bogey and set the tone for his round, matching the 81 posted by Lewis.

Even the timeless Tom Watson - aged 62 - shot 77, five-over-par, to confirm how tough Augusta was playing yesterday.

However, one champion of yesteryear did hold his ground among the mud-splattered balls and gouged pitchmarks; 54-year-old Bernhard Langer, who was champion here in 1985 and 1993. The German golfer, who is now a dominant force on the Champions Tour, plotted his way around the Augusta golf course with his usual faultless course management to shoot a level 72, for a share of 29th place. Langer is the highest-placed golfer in the field over the age of 50, tied with 52-year-old Fred Couples, the winner here in 1992.

Langer knows the value of par at Augusta as well as anyone, and he mirrored the scorecard for the first 10 holes yesterday. The run came to an end after he left a chip much too short onto the 11th green, but Langer made amends at the 13th, when he boldly reached the par-five green in two with a perfectly executed fairway wood. Two putts later and he was back to level par.

Another dropped shot came at 14 when Langer's long-iron approach was just inches short of the top tier of the green, and his ball rolled 20 feet back to the front. Three putts later and Langer was a frustrated figure, but then his shot of the day may have been a wedge to the 15the green, which spun back to within four feet of the hole to set-up Langer's second birdie in three holes.
In the company of Americans Charles Howell III and Jason Dufner, who is a shot of Lee Westwood's lead, Langer tees off at 9:18 this morning.

Article courtesy of Mercedes-Benz, International Partner of the Masters Tournament

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Great news from the honorary starters' dawn chorus 7.40am tee time: no spectators were hospitalized by wayward drives. Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus all smashed one up the fairway. Or slapped one, as it is for them these days. Shame that they don't play at least nine holes. It's one and done and back into the clubhouse for a second breakfast.

Asked who drove furthest, Nicklaus said: "I don't think any of us can see that far. We can hear them all land though." Ah, the comedian's a (golden) bear, as they say in the Muppets. But just to prick Nicklaus' ego, let it be known that bragging rights went to Player in the OAP's Longest Drive competition.

Nicklaus came runner-up with Palmer bringing up the rear. All three hit it further up the hill than Tiger Woods who duck hooked his opening drive no more than 220 yards into the trees.

This quirky Augusta tradition began in 1963 but never has there been a group of ceremonial starters assembled on the 1st with more Major Championship victories between them (34) or Green Jackets (13). The 'big three' are golfing royalty and fans had set their alarm clocks for an early rise to stand 10-deep around the tee box behind the old colonial style clubhouse on a steamy blue sky Augusta morning.

Each of the Hall of Famers had an air of twitchy intensity. No one wanted to duff it or carve it into the galleries. Palmer was first away, knocked it down the middle, and high-fived Augusta National chairman Billy Payne. Phew! Follow THAT, fellas. Player was next up and took an extra practice swing.

Jack was the anchorman and sucked in one last deep breath. Job done, get the coffee on. Kudos to Phil Mickelson, too, who turned up resplendent in his Green Jacket to watch the legends send the 76th Masters on its way.

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In opening first round proceedings for the 76th Masters, Gary Player made his debut as an honorary starter, joining the other two members of the 'Big Three', Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, and the three-time Masters champion from South Africa took great delight in blasting his drive upwards of 250 yards down the first fairway. He may be 72, but the competitive spirit was rekindled behind Player's broad smile.

Player's shot was powerful, particularly as Augusta grows the fairway grain against the ball to reduce run, and overnight rain had left the ground soft too, so Player's ball stopped right next to its pitch mark.

Player's ball split the fairway in half, and sailed past 82-year-old Palmer's shot, which was also perfectly placed in the middle of the fairway on the tick of 7:40am. Nicklaus teed off third, and the 72-year-old kept up standards by finding the middle ground between his old rivals' shots. The three honorary starters have 13 Masters titles between them, and here they showed that class in indeed permanent.

Once the honorary starters had made way for the first competitive shots in Majors golf in 2012, Asian Amateur champion Hideki Matsuyama took little time to settle to his task. The 20-year-old from Japan teed off at 9:40 alongside Americans Tom Watson and Johnson Wagner, and his first four shots of the day were virtually perfect. After making the testing par-4 1st hole look straightforward when he holed out for birdie from just four feet, Matsuyama's drive on the par-5 2nd also left him perfectly placed to attack the green in two. But then the sense of early achievement must have got into Matsuyama's head, as he shanked his long-iron approach and the ball careered off to the right of the green, and the wrong side of a greenside bunker. The leading amateur in the 2011 Masters kept his nerve to chip over the bunker and save par.

Matsuyama was not the only golfer to find trouble on the par-5 2nd. It is a long walk at 575 yards, but as the fairway sweeps downhill with a gentle dogleg to the left, it is every inch a birdie opportunity with a well-placed drive. Four groups behind Matsuyama was Tiger Woods, playing with South Korea's Sang Moon Bae and Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, and Woods got stuck behind one of the few trees on the Augusta golf course to obstruct golfers with low-hanging branches. Probably golf's best scrambler since Seve Ballesteros, Woods stung a low, hooking iron shot around the tree, with the ball finishing well placed in front of the green. Like Matsuyama before him, Woods saved par, and then a birdie three at the 3rd sent the former world number one into red numbers.

Most eyes at Augusta are watching if Tiger can stay in the red.

Article courtesy of Mercedes-Benz, International Partner of the Masters Tournament

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Thunder storms at Augusta. And not just over the course where torrential rain on Tuesday night flooded bunkers and brought down trees destroying a $1 million on-course comfort station (translation: loo).

There were rumbles in the interview room at the media centre, too, when Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne gave the club's annual State of the Nation address. Women members, or rather the lack of them, were high on the agenda much to Payne's pain.

"What would he say to his granddaughters as to why they can't be members at his club?" The woman reporter from US Today of course got a polite brush off. It's a game. People ask questions. Payne replies that they don't discuss club details or membership issue. It's like watching Geoff Boycott playing for bad light against the West Indies.

Another query to the Green Jackets was whether there would be a lift, clean and replace rule in play for Thursday after the storm had made the fairways mud ball soggy. "It's never been done before," came the vague reply. One wag whispered: "It'll never happen. They probably think that's women's work." Ouch.

The traditional Wednesday Par 3 Contest saw Ant and Dec sharing caddie duties for Lee Westwood. Defending Par 3 champion Luke Donald chose not to enter this year after last year trying to break the famous jinx that has yet to see the Par 3 winner doubling up with a Green Jacket. "I'll probably play it when my kids get a little older," he said.

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