The Masters 2024 First Round – BBC Radio 5 Live commentary

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Commentary by Iain Carter, Katherine Downes, John Murray & Alistair Bruce-Ball, Summarised by Trish Johnson & Andrew Magee

the Masters live from ausa National with
Mark Chapman on five sports extra and
BBC
sounds good evening welcome to Augusta
National for our uninterrupted coverage
of the opening round of the 88th Masters
plenty of red on that big white
leaderboard so plenty of players under
par we got underway late because of uh
morning rain and overnight rain so we
didn’t start until half 10 that early
rain meant the conditions were a little
bit easier the breeze has started to
pick up though this afternoon so it’s
testing conditions now uh and our leader
is one clear of everybody else here in
Carter yes that’s Ryan Fox of New
Zealand bogey freeze so far through 12
holes he opened up with three straight
birdies then picked up an eagle three at
the par 58 that’s taken him to five
andar and he’s one ahead of the live
player Bryson Des Shambo who also opened
with three straight birdies he has
picked up three birdies in a row now and
has moved to four underpar so within a
shot of the lead a bir2 at the 15th for
Danny Willet the 2016 champion from
Sheffield has got into the group at two
under par and ominously for the rest
Mark Scotty Sheffer is also in that
group blemish free so far he’s picked up
a birdie at the sixth and at two
underpar is already within three shots
of the lead as for Rory mroy it’s bit of
a struggle so far at one overp par as he
plays the seven thank you very much John
Ram our current champion won it last
year is one under through seven which
actually brings me straight straight to
his interview with youan which we played
last night on Five live and on Monday
night as well and he talked about his
opening round last year when he double
bogied the first but he said as long as
you get through the seventh hole and you
are Level par then you are doing okay
and he’s just birded seven he has just
as he did in the first round 12 months
ago so he’ll be feeling very happy and
on that occasion he Then followed it up
with an eagle three at the eighth and
went on to shoot 65 despite a four putt
double bogey six on the opening hole so
let’s see I don’t think that kind of
scoring is going to be possible with the
flags fluttering as animatedly as they
are today I should make mention of Matt
Fitzpatrick as well because he’s off to
a very steady start the winner of the US
Open a couple of years ago the man from
Sheffield birded the second he’s played
par golf no Drop shots and he’s playing
with John Ram heading up the eighth like
the Spanish defending champion at one
underpath so so as you’ve already put
your prediction hat on if the if the
wind stays as is and the flags continue
to flutter what what are you expecting
to be leading in the clubhouse at the
end of the day I think anyone who signs
for a 67 or better is uh is going to be
right up there on on on that leaderboard
it it just feels to me that it’s not
just the the the fact that the wind is
blowing but it’s blowing in such a
fluctuating manner it makes it so hard
to judge not just the approach shots
which we’ve so often talked about the
need for precision at austa but also it
can put you off your stroke in terms of
your putting as well so I think it’s
going to be a real challenge out there
today well and and right on Q Katherine
DS we are we are here above the 15th
green the 16th T just behind us and
we’re having to whisper because Danny
Willet and his two playing partners are
on the 16th T behind us in in glorious
Sunshine but actually for the last 15 20
seconds the flag in front of us on 15
was limp and actually now it’s just
started to flutter again and we’ve
already seen it cause Havoc for some of
the players at least two of whom have G
into the water in front of this grp yeah
I think it’s what’s been putting them
off on this 15th this is this long risk
and reward par five that comes down from
the hill over the water they’ve had the
wind behind so they’ve under clubbed and
so they’ve been catching that down
slight right at the front when the wind
has stopped they’ve not got enough Club
to get them up onto that slither of
green and from the top of the hill it’s
so narrow with that runoff at the back
down towards the water on the 16th Danny
Willet just about to hit his t-shot on
the 16th I’ll keep an eye on that for
you m okay any he Dr drama with wind for
you John Murray if you P the expression
well caused me to knock over my
binocular
there maybe maybe it was a touch of
wind um but is it causing habit around a
corner a strange thing you know as Ian
said there and and Ian’s watching the
pictures from all over the course and is
clearly seeing the flags fluttering at
all of the various greens the the
remarkable thing here is at this this
wonderful spot that is Amen Corner the
shortest Hall on the course the famous
part three the 12th Golden Bell with the
the flag away in the distance over re
Ray Creek it Trish Johnson is just
hanging straight down as though these
were the calmest conditions that that
you’d ever seen yeah he’s absolutely
bizarre because 11 obviously just just a
little bit lower down than the 12th
green the flag is it’s you know it’s
giving a it’s giving a fair assessment
of itself um but the trouble is you
cannot feel it from where they are so
you’re looking at 12 thinking well
there’s no Breeze coming but we know
we’re we’re about 50t above that we can
feel a massive Breeze but it’s again as
we’ve stated before it’s not constant so
it’s it’s swirling around uh and it just
makes you’ve got to hit the shot at
exactly the right time well the the flag
on 16 up away to our left Catherine is
is fluttering violently from right to
left well it was and now it’s swung
around to come back down towards the uh
oh my goodness that was very nearly a
hole of on from Austin ecro he judged it
absolutely perfectly the wind was
hammering in from right to left and he
slung it out to the right and it came
back in on the wind and it’s come to
rest about a foot or so from the pin
I’ve seen so many leaking out towards
those big gaping bunkers on the right
underneath the pine trees because it’s
like a switch the wind just goes and the
balls out into the right hand just news
of Danny will it he’s put it to about 6
feet or so so it could be backto back B
BG birdie birdies not burgers burgers
back to Burgers I mean
for Danny Willet um Ian bear it in mind
just one on Danny Willet I’m sure we
will hear from him once he has completed
his his round today but bearing in mind
last night when we were talking about UK
golfers who were here there was still a
question mark over whether Danny Willet
would actually be starting today very
much so the practice rounds have been a
fitness test in in in their entire
Essence really for Willl it he hasn’t
played competitively since the BMW PGA
Championship at Wentworth which was
played last September he went underwent
surgery on what had been a nagging issue
in his shoulder I spent a lot of time
with him in December and you know the
the just the frustration of rehabbing
from shoulder surgery was was hugely
frustrating for him and even then he
wondered whether he’d be in a position
to be able to take his position as a
former former Masters champion in the
field here at Augusta he came here to
give it a go and he’ll be feeling very
very pleased with himself right now two
underpath through 15 holes Andrew McGee
I know I know we talk about you know
players coming to this course and
knowing this course and whatever form
they may be in it changes when they come
here because they are their game is set
up for this course and Danny Willis a
former Champion here of course but that
is still a remarkable performance it’s
it’s incredible I mean we talked about
playing your way into this tournament
for for for him to play what one round
um hasn’t played since September I see
written down in front of me that’s
pretty amazing I mean today is the golf
course is different than when he won
there’s some new te’s back further um
number two was just a monster number 11
of course we know is the hardest hole in
the course um but it’s it’s an
incredible it’s incredible feat by Danny
Willet he’s he’s really got it he’s got
some confidence he’s got a good look in
his eye Mark The Sounds you heard there
a very explosive looking sounding t-
shop was from Bryson to Shambo on the
15th looking to take advantage of the
par five but the t-shot just leaking out
to the right so we’ll have to wait and
see whether or not he’s got an
opportunity to go for the green and two
there when we were talking about Bryson
earlier Andrew is is the I mean I know
he’s obviously launched that one is is
the feeling that he
isn’t we went through a phase didn’t we
where where it was all about this it was
all about trying to hit the thing as
hard as possible that’s what it felt
like and where was it in where he he he
drove over 400 didn’t he where was that
and they were all cheering behind him
that was at uh the uh Arnold Palmer
Invitational um at Bay Hill on the sixth
hole when he was he was almost trying to
drive the green on the par five because
of the water if you the the you know was
trying to cut the corner there and it
was really the first sporting cheer we
heard postco wasn’t it that was the that
was the the the amazing thing about that
I’m just playing for time here because
the second shot now of the defending
Champion is from John Ram at the eighth
224 yards out up the hill on the par
five looking to find the Green in two
and that one is not being found by the
camera so not onto the putting surface
it would say so whilst you wait to see
where where John Rams second has gone on
eight do do you think Andrew he’s
stopped trying to launch everything to
the Moon um I I mean I do I think he
probably hurt himself I I I’ve heard
that he’s just trying to slow down just
slowing down to what a 125 milph was was
a big feat for him from 135 and I think
he’s trying to save his body um we’ve
seen what tiger looks like these days
after swinging that hard you’re going to
you’re going to wreck your back sooner
or later and I think he’s uh in pretty
darn good shape um very impressive four
under after 14 holes D Shambo to come
out and show these fellas the live guys
maybe have a little game too we’re still
waiting for Brooks capka to start a lot
of people favoring him uh this week the
last players today by the way don’t go
out until 4:30 us time Dustin Johnson
Colin morawa and Tommy Fleetwood the
final three outs that’s 9:30 UK time
there is no way the last few groups will
be able to finish their first rounds
today at the moment we’re keeping an eye
on Danny Willet up I fact Danny Willet
about toart isn’t he C he is and this
will be for backto back birdies for the
former Champion away on the 16th across
the water that green that tumbles down
in tears towards the Slick surface of
the pond Danny will it crouching over
the ball now head to toe in navy blue
today this looks good and it’s in for
Danny will it birdies on the 15th and
the 16th and he moves to three under par
two off the lead
yeah Ryan Fox from the trees on the 13th
just played out there couldn’t go for
the Green in two but has successfully
laid up so will be looking to attack
with his third shot into the par five uh
there we’ve just seen benan H holding
for a birdie at the 12th as well so the
Korean back to three underpar alongside
uh Danny Willet and he is within two
shots of Fox’s lead let’s get more
details on that birdie from John yes he
uh he just dropped a shot at the 11th
actually Ben and the popular South
Korean and he’ actually raced his his
put by and he left himself 8 ft wasn’t
able to make that so dropped a shot at
the first hole of Amen Corner but Trish
Johnson played the 12th beautifully the
the flag today the hole is right in the
middle it’s that Central uh pin position
so the if you can imagine the scene that
sort of uh that as we look at it here
very narrow looking green that widens at
either side and the central portion is
very narrow there are two bunkers at the
back up on the slope and all of the
bushes and the blossom in behind that
and the pine straw and then one big
bunker at the front so the the hall is
right in the middle of those two bunkers
at the back and at the front and he
hited Ben an his t-shot to what 20 ft to
the right and rolled it in to get back
to 300 yeah beautiful birdie I mean this
hole is just going to get tougher and
tougher with this wind blowing we’ve
just seen nichelson hit his t- shot
obviously being a lefty he’s coming in
from the other angle pitched it past the
flag just at the back Edge I think he’s
okay he’s still in the just the semi-
rough at the back playing okay to this
is a cracking group as well though Tony
Finn out next to go and just the players
and the carries just time and time again
stand over the ball and then all of a
sudden back off because they’re just we
can just feel it getting up again really
it is blowing a bit of a hulie up here
yeah but again strangely the flag away
in the distance barely moving yeah Mark
we’ve got Tony feno who’s level par and
also sep strier the uh the new Rider cup
player the a austrian-american as as we
referred to him in Italy and Tony feno
hit a lovely shot in there just I think
it’s just over the hall isn’t it yeah an
absolute Beauty flag high on the left
and he’s got a great opportunity from
about 15 ft and and Phil Mickelson Ian
is one under and Rory mroy is on the E T
now one over par managed to successfully
two Puck from the front of the seventh
green to steady the ship that’s two
consecutive excellent two putts for
meloy from long range sends this one
down the right hand side urging the ball
to go and carry the bunkers down the
right hand side and that is a huge drive
from moai all the way up to the
spectator walkway and the green will be
within range for him on this par five
for eth John R I can tell you we was
struggling to see his ball after his
second shot to the eighth just missed
the green to the right and he’s actually
just chipping now bunts this ball
forward up onto the putting surface and
the Master’s champion will be delighted
with that that has come up to almost tap
in range and that should be a birdie for
Ram that would take him to two
underpath um probably worth just telling
you some of the players who aren’t yet
out on the course everything delayed by
a couple of hours this morning because
of overnight rain and then heavy morning
rain so uh just before 20 3 us time 20 8
UK time former defending champ former
Champion Patrick Reed will go out in the
group after him you’ve got trell Hatton
then in the group after that you’ve got
Adam Scott and Sam Burns and cam young
Tiger goes out 6 minutes to 4:00 so 6
minutes to 9:00 alongside Jason day and
Max Homer Brian Harmon the open Champion
follows tiger alongside Brooks ker and
Tom Kim Jordan SP is out in the
penultimate group at 418 and then the
final group out Dustin Johnson Colin
morawa and Fleetwood and I know Andrew
and Ian you’ve been watching TV pictures
of Tiger Woods on the practice range yes
we have working on his technique really
sort of grinding away in tigerwood style
chomping at the gum that’s in his uh
mouth and looking very comfortable
actually with a an unfamiliar face as
far as gol fans will be concerned in
terms of a relationship with Woods
because his caddy is no longer Joe Lara
who’s with Patrick Klay it’s Lance
Bennett who used to work with Matt cooa
and on others so he’s grinding away on
the Range the news of the leader Ryan
Fox Andrew he has just chunked his third
shot on the 13th got way too much of the
Fairway not enough of the ball and that
has skipped into Ray’s Creek so the
first real big error from the New
Zealander yeah it seems like a simple
little layup shot there on number 13 but
if you get too close to the green um you
maybe have to play a 3/4 sandwich looks
like he was trying to take something off
that and he hit it fast B and IND race
Creek a blunder who only blemished so
far when this beautiful 500 power round
is about to become four or three under
what’s he um dealing with one of the
important issues what’s he wearing tiger
now he’s ditch Nike he’s got well he’s
got his obviously the new the new brand
of Sunday red which uh it’s like a
powder pink kind of top sleeveless
sweater although the sleeveless sweater
has has gone it is muggy out there isn’t
it it’s quite quite warm um but yeah
powder pink to start his uh would you
say aelia pink I don’t know I mean
obviously he’s got trousers on I mean
what color are they gray I think Gray
from memory I it’s it’s not the best um
it’s satorial issues are not my strength
as you well know Mark well yeah I can
tell what color trousers are I just
can’t remember that’s the truth you are
you know you you are very descriptive so
I thought they thought you may just have
uh you may just have spotted when when
he’s out on the first te we’ll get a
proper look at at what tiger is wearing
let’s um let’s bring alist Bruce Ball in
shall we M mainly because we haven’t
heard from him yet and I don’t want him
thinking that we’ve ignored him and I
don’t want you listening thinking that
he work Char and not doing anything so
what are you doing thank you Mark uh
keeping my powder dry up in the grand
stand to the left of the 17th green so
due to our delayed start this afternoon
there’s only two groups so far have gone
through the 17th as I think our regular
Masters listeners will know no very
demanding finish to this golf course the
par for 17th and 18th our commentary
position is high up to the left hand
side of the 17th green it’s called Nanda
it’s 440 yards long you want to get the
drive out there as far as you can to get
yourself as flatly as you can for an
approach into a a narrow entrance to the
green although the players aren’t
looking at that the pin today is cut
back middle and and the breeze is really
blowing hard at the moment the sunshine
has disappeared and it’s kind of blowing
into the face of the golfers today two
giant bunkers left and right uh at the
front of the green but the big no no
here at the back of the 17th is going
over the back and and and that is where
you got to be really careful with a pin
like this there’s only five or six yards
beyond that pin and then it’s a really
steep shiny slope and and the up and
down from from the back down at the
bottom there is is a one in 10 even for
these world class golfers so Danny will
it will be in our in our sight soon and
the grand the grand stand here Mark is
only about an eighth full at the moment
you know what I can see it through the
trees and I can see a man in a sort of
sky blue shirt and maybe a woman on the
front row in a bright red shirt and
apart from that I can’t see anybody else
in in and out section just SES and SES
of green buckets SE I have to say here
the grand stand at 15 is is is maybe 90%
full as we wait for brys and dambo Cat
to come down yeah I can see him he’s
found a lie in the trees down the right
hand side I think they might have had to
push the patrons back a little bit
behind the ropes and Bry D shambo’s had
plenty of time whilst he’s waiting for
the green to clear to have a good chat
about this with his caddy Greg Bodin and
now he’s ready to hit it he’s wearing a
kind of lightly striped t-shirt up ahead
and dark trousers and the white boiler
suit of his caddy standing out against
all the colors of the spectators
underneath the pine trees in the shade
as the sun bursts out from behind these
fluffy white clouds and Bryon Des Shambo
no standing behind this so is drive down
the right hand side of the 15th the par
five and he’s right at the top of the
hill
and I don’t think from where he is he’s
going to be able to go for the green
he’s just going to be looking to lay up
here and we’ve seen very few actually go
for the green and twoo haven’t we we’ve
been sitting here for over an hour well
it’s that fluctuating wind isn’t it if
they can if they can ride a wave of the
wind into the green then we’ve seen one
or two go for it I’d say in every three
ball we’ve seen one player has gone for
the green with with varying success but
a lot of players choosing to play it
safe Brion D Shambo launching this one
High into the sky heading down towards
the down
slope and everyone is looking slightly
to the left perhaps that went into I
tell you what he did go for the Green
from amongst the trees that’s huge power
from Bryson to Shambo two balls have
appeared on the front a back left hand
corner of the green there’s another
through the green at the back and this
is Gary Woodland tubor Allison and
Bryson Des Shan B he’s on the green and
two he’s got a look at Eagle here Bryson
and and there was sort of very muted
reaction to that and I think that’s
because the majority of people who are
sitting in this stand with us were
looking back down the Fairway seeing
where he was and the angle that he was
and we therefore expecting him to lay up
short and it was only the sort of two or
three people looking left to the green
rather than right back down the Fairway
who spotted what he’d done that is a
seriously impressive golf shot from
Bryson to Shambo from amongst the trees
he’ll have been he must have had a
really good lie if he’d been you know in
amongst the spectators that must have
been stamped down knew he could get the
club behind it the water is here if he
hadn’t caught it properly that would
have come up short in the water but he’s
on the green with a chance at Eagle and
uh and to usurp Ryan Fox at the top yeah
he’s got a share the lead at the moment
as Bryson dambo because we heard that
Ryan Fox was in the water on 13 and he’s
bog good 13 so he’s four under dambo
four under you’ve got benan on three
under Danny willit is on three under
news of him with alist Bruce Ball on 17
shortly John Ram the defending Champion
is two under so he birded the e thean c
yes he did it was just the easiest of
tappins after that delightful chip that
he had from just off the front right of
the green also getting up and down on
that eighth for bo uh birdie was Matt
Fitzpatrick so he’s also at two underpar
Scotty sheffer’s come up just short of
the green on the par five eth there
after his t-shot comprehensive
offensively out driven by Rory maroy
who’s yet to play as second into the
eighth so all those players at two
underpar John Ram Matt Fitzpatrick and
Scotty Sheffer melroy’s at one overpar
and an early birdie for Justin Rose he’s
at one underpar after two Shane Lowry
has birded the first he’s at one
underpar and will zalatoris has gone to
the turn in a two underpath 34 what now
I’m going to pick someone you haven’t
mentioned but what Zander chule on cuz
he is with shefer and mroy in that group
and a few people tipped him last night
on the preview yes um with good reason
he’s been a very very steady player
that’s under under selling it really on
the PGA tour this year without actually
getting across the winning line but he’s
too overp par as it stands at the moment
so a disappointing start for one of the
favorites there so at the moment we’ve
got uh Bryson Das Shambo here on 15 with
an eagle opportunity and Danny Willet up
ahead on 17 so just give us the lay of
the land with will it Ali and then we’ll
try and balance these
two work out just trying to work out
here at the 17th Mark which golf ball is
Danny Willet because from our commentary
position here to the left of the green
there’s a screen of the famous Augusta
pine trees that slightly Shields you
from where the the Players golf balls
Land from the t-shots and then the
second shot into the green now if Danny
Willet is one of the two balls uh on the
putting surface that I can see he’s got
a reasonably good shot at a third birdie
in the row having Birdie the 15th and
the 16th to get himself back to 200
underp he looks in extremely good
spirits he’s bouncing along walking with
a real joyous stride down the right hand
side of the Fairway deep in conversation
uh with the German Stefan Jager and uh
he does seem to be moving towards one of
those balls at the back of the green so
get back to me in a couple of minutes or
so we may well have a a Danny will it
birdie P to come okay Windam Clark has
birded the par 47 so he is too under he
hasn’t dropped a shot yet he’s birded
the third and birded the seventh uh
Bryson D Shambo is stalking the 15th
green Katherine DS he is and he’s going
to be the next to put to P torj Allison
just a little tentative really really
tricky chip up onto the green at 15 cuz
the water lurks behind and the ball will
just disappear away from you into that
murky water if you catch it a little bit
thin but he’s safely on the Green in
three but this is the eagle chance for a
slimmed down Bryson to Shambo we heard
Andrew McGee talking a little bit
earlier about how he’s had to change his
approach to his golf he’s he’s slowed
down his swing because his body was
really feeling it on top of that
completely changed his diet he’d had
loads of tests done he was feeling a lot
of aches and pains and he thought maybe
it’s not just the golf maybe it’s not
just about muscle it’s about what I’m
eating what I’m putting in my body so he
had loads of tests done and and they
revealed that he was allergic to all
kinds of things milk gluten wheat eggs
anything you name it so he he still
looks incredible he’s still well he’s
still got those massive shoulders hasn’t
he he’s still he’s still built like an
athlete he’s got those rigid arms as he
tucks the the the grip of his putter
into the crook of his elbow enormous
brown tan
arms rigid and solid as he swings the
putter towards the holder given this a
little bit of a light touch has it got
enough on it just tur towards the hole
this looks very good tiptoes passed by a
couple of millimeters and Nestles up
into the shadow of the pin foot or so
though it’s going to be a birdie for
Bryson to Shambo and that will be enough
for him to take the lead and also his
tan is magnificent Ali our master’s
leaderboard the big white board away to
the right has slightly misled me because
on the bottom row of that Danny Willet
is still at two underpar on the bottom
of the ball but I know that he’s three
underpar having birded the 15th and the
16th and that was indeed one of his
balls on the green I’d say about 20 ft
or so from the back right of the 17th
green for a third consecutive birdie
here late in his first round at this
year’s Masters a masters we thought he
as a former Champion wasn’t necessarily
even going to be able to play in due to
the shoulder injury uh that has plagued
him for so long but here he is all in
dark colors in bright Sunshine uh that
Sunshine sparkling off his white golfing
shoes sizing up a a 15 footer maybe a
little bit more than that closer to 20
ft from the back right to the 17th green
to get himself to four under par and
into a share of the lead with Ryan Fox
and Bryson D Shambo little shoulder
shake from Danny Willet one last look at
the hole not too many in the grand
stands watching this gentle push with
the Putter and the ball starts tiptoeing
its way across the putting surface and
it just drifts away to the left didn’t
quite have the pace to get there and it
ends up a couple of yards short but it’s
one of those lovely pars Mark that he’s
going to tap in from from a matter of
inches keep the keep the uh momentum
going heading on to the uh the 18th T
that narrow T shot up the par 4 steep
climb uphill par 4 18th towards the uh
the uh magnificent clubhouse right at
the top of that hill and Danny will it
just boning the fact he didn’t make the
birdie part but he remains at two under
par and that is just two shots off the
lead three shots off the lead of course
because of the the the D Shambo birdie
yeah and that 5 under has just uh has
just gone up here on the big white
scoreboards opposite of the 15th I mean
he’s been under par Ali as Danny Willet
since he stepped off the first grep yeah
exactly well I mean that that must and
we saw him on the F you weren’t with us
actually but I back to do some work
Mark the rest of us were on the first he
played the first beautifully yeah which
which must have put the bounce in his
step I mean that is one of the most
difficult holes on the golf court I mean
not it’s not the most difficult drive is
it the first but the we we well know
because we’ve been here year after year
after year and watch people struggle
with the approach into that first scen
it is a treacherous putting surface as
well tiny little spots you’ve got to hit
into depending on where they put the pin
uh on on on the individual days so yes
got got off to the birdie start best
he’s been so far is three under part
after the nth and he remains three under
par now uh having Birdie the 15th 16th
and and Par the 17th um yeah last week I
went on holiday uh Mark and forgot
forgot something rather crucial uh which
I’ll tell you about in a second I
forgotten something rather crucial this
week uh as well which is my binoculars
oh I know oh dear I know it’s in
absolute honestly that is one of the top
three things you’ve got to bring for
these commentary positions here at
Augusta what did you forget on holiday
last week then my pants I beg you PD my
pants I didn’t pack any pants for
Holiday last week but I’ve but I’ve
remembered them this week so I haven’t
come
knocking so I I mean I think we I think
we’re all grateful to be honest that you
remembered your pants and not your
binoculars really if I was given a
choiceful both useful both useful in
very different ways in Carter Rory mroy
on the eighth got up onto the front edge
of the green and he’s got a long long
putt here probably about 70 ft for Eagle
currently at one overpar it’s noticeable
Andrew McGee that he really is taking
every care over these shots sometimes he
can look a little rushed but he he just
hesitated a fraction there before
getting ready to address this putt one
you’ll have had a few times well not an
easy 70-footer it goes down and up and
down again in the the wind is down so
the ball is on its way it’s going to get
to this Crest right there it’s coming
down nicely little more speed oh he’s
left it about 6 ft short of the hole for
birdie yeah just needed an an ounce more
but he’s got a birdie chance that would
get him back to level par and he looks
comfortable the body language is is
positive for for mooy there seems to be
a ready smile there even though he
currently stands at one over par and
many a big name is in that sort of group
at two under and better and they include
the man he’s playing with Scotty Sheffer
who’s got an outside birdy chance to
come here on the eighth Sheffer at two
under par as is Cam Smith and Victor
holand yeah and there’s a slight delay
behind us Bryon D shambo’s group having
to wait for the group ahead to finish
out on the 16th green um talking about
you know him not being really discussed
in the buildup to this I I was just
going through all my notes from the
press conferences that the golfers do on
a on a Tuesday and Wednesday the masses
when they go into this big big Oak
paneled room at the the media center and
and the journalists sit there and are
able to to talk to them um I I can’t
find a Bryon the shampo interview
anywhere did he has he has he gone that
under the radar that nobody even spoke
to him well he certainly wasn’t called
in for interview um that’s sort of the
the the domain of the the very biggest
names um and Des Shambo has sort of you
know withered from that position since
he’s gone to live out of sight out of
mind kind of scenario really but he has
done um I think he did some quick quotes
with with some of the journalists but I
think he’s about to hit his t-shot isn’t
he he is here he is
cat that was the mighty swipe of the
Bryson Des Shambo forearm sending the
ball up towards the flag which is
hanging limp it’s been fluttering at
full stretch on the 16th screen this is
looking incredibly good has landed just
slightly to the right of the pin and has
drained itself down towards the hole
which is cut just a a couple of Paces on
the front edge on a on a serious slope
that is a really really good t-shot from
Bryson to Shambo kicking birdie for
Bryson to Shambo here you take him two
shots clear playing some remarkable Golf
and looking incredibly relaxed just
standing down below us with those big
strong arms folded across his chest and
uh he’s just looking into the crowd
isn’t he just taking it all in it’s all
very calm and all very relaxed around
Bry and dampo at the moment tell you
what in you know a few a few people have
have moved up and down we’ve got Danny
Willet on 300 as I say too on 500 you
just want to do a quick leader board for
us yeah Ryan Fox at four under he was
the outright leader until he dropped a
shot at the 13th just playing his second
shot in to the 14th reasonably well
judged and he’s got around 20 25 ft so
it’s Des Shambo at the top of the
leaderboard at five and a fox at four
under as he plays the 14th Danny Willet
is going to be coming up the 18th at
three under par So within two shots of
the lead Ben Anne is also at three under
then the players at two under and what a
cast this we have here will zalatoris a
resurgent figure after all his injury
problems John Ram the defending Champion
playing the ninth at 200 under but going
long with his approach there so he’ll do
well to get up and down from there to
remain at 200 under Matt Fitzpatrick’s
also at two under Scotty Sheffer two
under that’s the uh uh world number one
of favorite the US Open Champion Windam
Clark two underpar the European Ridder
cup player Victor holand two underpar
the former open Champion Cameron Smith
at two underpar I mean this is what we
want to see the big names really showing
up very very nicely and just going a
little further down Phil Mickelson he’s
not does nothing on Liv really but at
one under par 12 holes into his round
he’s having a a fantastic time of it
really when you consider that he’s not
done anything since finishing as runner
up at the Masters last year with that 65
Rory mroy rolls in his six-footer for
his birdie at the eth and he is back to
level top isn’t it surprising uh Andrew
mcke that you know we live in this era
where you know no stone is left unturned
in sport when it comes to marginal gains
and and Sport Science and medical side
of things and so on and so forth and and
yet Bryson dambo in the last 12 months
has done all of these tests found out
all of these allergies yeah that’s kind
of you thought he would have figured
this out years ago if I’m if I’m have a
gluten problem I think we’d all know
that and um it’s amazing cuz he is that
scientific kind of guy right that would
analyze every single little Tiddly thing
and it’s it’s crazy but now he’s just at
the top of his game at the Masters who
would have thought it just to let you
know Mark that uh John Rah who missed
the green as I was saying on the uh
ninth has putted from off the green it
was right in amongst the spectators they
cleared a path for him and very
delicately he puted down to the whole
side and he will remain at two underpar
Tiger Woods I can tell you powder pink
kind of top and grayish trousers does
that do the job for you he’s making his
way towards the tea that’s absolutely
fine some Bryson Des Shambo stats for
you the best finish he’s ever had at the
Masters was in his debut year in 2016 he
ended that tied 21st the last two times
he has played the Masters 22 and 23 he
missed the cut uh actually at the end of
2019 he was tied for first having shot
of 66 here uh that year um so that was
his best opening round uh a 66 at the
moment he is on for a 67 John Murray
what have you got in front of you
anything at all at the moment just
putting my uh glasses back on cuz I was
look looking through the binoculars at
the 12th well done for remembering them
yeah well yes and have you got your
pants with you as well yeah Full House
got all them I was I was rather hoping
that allly was going to say that he’d
forgotten his
pajamas wow but um but but it wasn’t it
wasn’t to be his pajamas but in terms of
what we’ve got golfing wise I’m actually
just watching Nick Taylor who’s on the
uh on the 12th and uh and and and we can
see Trish Johnson the ideal play at the
12th today is that is that t- shot just
10 ft to the left that’s a that’s a very
popular spot I think if you land it
there as Tony feno did a few uh minutes
ago then uh you know where Taylor is
with a 10- foot put for a for a birdie
which would take him back to level par
for the tournament so more from Trish in
a moment but Ian you have news 14th and
Ryan Fox putting from the back of the
green down the slope borrowing from
right to left and coming up an inch
short of the hole that’ll be a par for
the New Zealander that will keep him at
four under par one behind Bryson to
Shambo on the ninth T Rory maroy pulling
and hooking his t-shot into the trees
but getting a good Ricochet off the
branches of those trees and propelling
the ball back out into the Fairway
question is is he far enough back or far
enough down to have an unimpeded view of
the green which is at the end of a
severe dog leg left and very steeply
uphill so we’re just uh keeping and
Danny Willet going down 18 at the moment
on three under an up ahead just as the
breeze picks up a bit here over the 15th
green and the 16th te up ahead on the
16th green we’ll be waiting for Bryson D
shambo’s birdie pot given the fact that
to bjor olison I think has already gone
and Gary Woodland is going next
highlights how close actually Bryson
dambo is for a birdy opportunity from
where we’re standing Mark you know the
perspective over the Rippling Waters of
that black Pond it look looks like it
could just be a tapping from a couple of
inches I imagine if you get up a little
bit closer it’s about 2T I’d imagine
there was a smattering of Applause but
you feel like if it was if it was any
closer than that there’d have been some
big Roars as they wed it towards the
hole but Gary Wood he’s a good story
isn’t he coming back after after brain
surgery the 2009 US Open Champion back
at the Masters and it goes for birdie
for Woodland he’s not going so well
though I think he birdied the 15th and
now the 16th so he’s back to three
overpar as he goes to hand the ball to
his caddy so that the stage is set now
for Bryson too Who’s down in the squat
position looks like a a little frog who
may have hopped out of the pond quite a
big frog a big frog and and we were Mar
you said that his tan is quite something
he walk past us below the sixth grand
stand here on the 16th T he’s the he’s
the color of Creo isn’t he he’s it’s
remarkable and it’s so
consistent that full-on tan that must go
layers and layers deep in his skin but
he’s standing stock still at the moment
just rehearsing that putting stroke for
a birdie that would give him a two- shot
lead at the top of the Master’s
Leaderboard on the opening day and
that’s got to feel pretty good hasn’t it
for Bry and Des
Shambo best round of course tied for 20
more back when he was an
Amer and in it goes for Des Shambo just
a couple of Paces towards the hole so
that gives you an indication that that
was about 2T plucks the ball from the
hole and on he goes to the 17th scen
with a two- shot lead in his pocket he
touches the peak of his cap as he walks
past his bag and his caddy puts the flag
back into the hole and picks that bag up
and off they go to 17 and they’ll be in
view of aliser Bruce ball at the moment
but Bryson Des Shambo has birded 12 he’s
birded 13 He has birded 15 and he has
birded 16 and with two holes to play he
is six under and he has a two shot lead
over the field uh the defending champ
Ion at the turn is two under big cheer
here in front of us on 15 because that
was Jasper stubs he’s the Australian
amateur the winner of the Asia Pacific
amateur championship and he’s just put
one in he laid up on this par 55 put one
in to within a couple of feet for a
birdie and that will be a real boost to
him he’s currently two over but he’s
been picking the brains of the likes of
uh Larry m and Jack Nicholas as he as
he’s come here to to take on Augusta for
the first time huge moment for a member
at Royal Melbourne as well so he’s
played some of the the toughest courses
in the world and here he is at Augusta
and a smattering of Applause for the
young Australian with the curly brown
hair as he walks in front of the grand
stand here on seven on 15 in lovely
second shot into the 18th from Danny
Willet the champion in 2016 he’s got it
up almost whole High he’ll have a birdie
chance from around about 20 25 ft will
it currently three under pass so that
puck would be for a 68 that would mark
his return to action following his
shoulder surgery last Autumn so a really
fantastic first day I think we can say
that regardless of what happens on that
closing green for Danny Willet on the
ninth green uh disappointment for
another fellow South yorkman and that is
Matt Fitzpatrick he’s dropped a shot
there so he’s gone back to one under par
here’s Bryson Des Shambo the leader as
he hits his t-shot and it’s drifting to
the left on the 17th and into the trees
catches the trees comes out on the whole
side and actually just Nestles down in
the first cut you don’t call it rough
here really it’s just the the second cut
isn’t it that’s what you you’d call it
so it’s just a marginally longer grass
than the manicured Fairways but he could
be blocked out there for his second shot
into the 17th it we talk all the time
don’t we about how difficult it is to
gauge the form of a live golfer because
the statistics are not
necessarily as either as readily
available or the same as they have been
over the PGA Tour is that right yeah and
I think that it’s that that they’re
they’re readily available and we can
work out from Strokes gained which is
sort of the currency of golf statistics
these days how you Faire against the
average in any particular tournament so
there is a kind of like for like
comparison that can be made so for
example someone like wacke Neiman in
those respects is is considered in the
top 10 golers in the world when you
compute it that way but according to the
world rankings is 90 in the world the
problem that the Live players have is
they get no world ranking points so the
official rankings don’t give you an idea
of their standing but Des Shambo is
someone who shot a 58 on the Liv tour
last year when he won The Greenbrier uh
tournament on this Breakaway circuit
that has 14 tournaments a year so he
hasn’t lost the ability to play the game
by any stretch of the imagination but I
think the problem that we have Mark is
that we don’t have a bank of data in the
live era that is Dependable um in terms
of how these players sit Visa those that
are playing on the PGA tour and that’s
why these majors are so important this
is the only place that we can genuinely
find out but then there will be plenty
and and some of them have said it to to
us on the live tour and Trish Johnson
I’ll bring you in on this you say well
actually look at the names that are on
this tour look at look at the players
that are on this tour and actually that
is really competitive when you look at
some of the big names who are playing
live from Rah to Johnson to kka to Des
Shambo yeah I think to be perfectly
honest chapers when you look at those
names regardless of what tour they play
on um they’re just top players and yes
okay the the live gol 54 hole shotgun
start no cut guaranteed money I mean
it’s an absolute dream come true for any
professional basically it’s just a you
know it’s not real golf but but
nonetheless once you get into
competitive action there’s no question
that those players you know they don’t
lose their competitive Spirit uh no
matter what so and they they’re class
players I think um you know as far as
the Shambo was concerned and I think
keer as well comes into this category
watching uh the series on Netflix really
you got the impression that those
players went to live because they just
thought their injuries were too much for
them to actually compete on the PGA tour
as it’s turned out certainly in KK’s
case uh that wasn’t the case whatsoever
and uh he’s always going to be involved
in these Majors cuz he’s such a top
player yeah here’s Danny will then from
20 ft on the 18th green cast in perfect
Sunshine here putting from his own
shadow as he sends the ball forward this
looks very good oh it’s superb and Danny
will it caps a Sensational return to
action with a birdie at the last he’s
come home in 35 for a round of 68 and
Danny Willet having not played through
injury since September Is All Smiles he
is laughing away as he hands his putter
back to his caddy there because Danny
Willet has carded a 4 underp pass 68 and
he’s the clubhouse leader on this
opening day of the 88th Masters I think
I must say this every time I do a golf
of and Andrew McGee but what a silly
game it is at
times you know that’s what we all say
it’s such a funny game but why isn’t
anybody smiling I mean it’s
a he he is now when when when you finish
a gust on 18 that’s when you start to
smile cuz you know you don’t have any
disasters ahead of you anymore Ryan Fox
on 14th here with a big rip off the tea
15th he’s sending it down that that par
five down into the middle of the Fairway
so I would suspect cat Mark you will be
seeing the Kiwi going for the Green in
two on that par five in short while and
I hope you’re ready for what’s going to
greet you when you see Sergio Garcia by
the way okay why well put it this way
he’s he’s Norwich City in in in in
Reverse oh right okay and you’ll know
him you’ll know when you see so what we
go in green shirt yellow trousers yeah
but it’s that you’ve not really given it
the fall you’ll see when you see him oh
my good grief
wow that uh that is not many not that is
vivid not many people could uh could
carry that off that’s a sensational
outfit it will be and he’s actually just
hit his second here on 15 and he’s gone
right of the green he’s gone over the
bunker that’s on the right hand side of
the green so he’s got a chip his third
shot back a chip back onto the green it
will be really interesting to hear from
Danny will it won’t it Ian Carter
afterwards because
look it’s not a free hit playing the
Masters okay but you’ve had shoulder
surgery you haven’t played what what did
you say since September since September
since September um it’s
it’s you know I I’ll be really
interested to find out how relaxed he
was coming into this with with probably
very little expectation on himself maybe
yes and I think if you talk to an awful
lot of golfers they will tell you that
one of the biggest Impostors that that
that they can have is high expectations
and when expectations are low then it’s
it’s a much easier game to play Just
hesitating slightly because John Ram
playing his second shot into the 10th
has pulled it left and it’s gone down
into that deep depression to the left of
that green such a difficult downhill Par
Four but he has missed on the right side
plenty of green to work with but Rah not
finding the Green in two on the 10th
Sergio has come more into view and uh I
mean that that is a that is a phenomenal
outfit Choice he looks like he’s at the
Rio Carnival doesn’t he looks like a
canary meets a parrot and and you said
not many people could pull that out I’m
not sure Sergio Garcia you’re not having
that no no look at the trousers they’re
hurting my eyes in the sunshine the wind
favorable for all the players in this
three ball Sergio Garcia Chris Kirk Ryan
Fox because all of them have gone for
the green in two and uh I can see two
balls over the one of them has just
dribbled into the water yeah that was
Chris Kirk so uh Ryan Fox and Sergio
Garcia safely on dry land on this it’s
like a little kind of Slither of green
isn’t it between the two ponds the one
on the 15th the one on the 16th Ryan Fox
Sergio Garcia through the back of the
Green in the dappled shade cast from
those huge Tall Pine trees and Chris
Kirk I’m afraid dribbled into the water
I have to you know look there are so
many golfers who wear a an array of blue
white gray black that I just I just find
Sergio’s choice of bright yellow
trousers incredibly refreshing let’s um
let’s go up 17 to Commando Bruce Ball
and find out uh what Bry and Des Shambo
is do yeah I think I think Sergio’s
green and yellow Choice a little
disappointing I think blue and white
exactly I think a blue and white would
have been a little bit better but maybe
we’ll see that uh come Sunday when he’s
striding towards winning another Green
Jacket slightly disappointing news two
bits of disappointing news actually mark
one on the five live Master sweep stake
I wasn’t sure whether Danny Willet was
actually going to be fit enough to
participate in this year’s master so he
wasn’t included wow I mean there’s the
there’s the headline there’s the
headline Bruce Ball writes will it off
before the first ball has been struck
but Bryson Des Shambo your other news
which is probably a little bit more
important given the fact that he’s
leading the Masters by two shots in the
first round at the moment coming down
the 17th has missed the 17th green to
the right hand side now I don’t have
Trish or Andrew sitting alongside me but
both know this golf course extremely
well so if I was to describe it they
might be able to tell us how difficult
the up and down will be from the right
hand side of the green he’s not he’s not
off the back of the green where the
really really steep slope is but he’s
probably about six yards off to the
right of the green and he’s got about 15
maybe 30 ft to work with before the flag
which is cut deep in the middle of the
green Ian Rory mroy for birdie at the
9th having played up into the middle of
the green the flag right up at the back
of the green so it’s a lengthy part it
looks like he’s given it enough but just
a fraction to the left of the hole
beautifully judged from mroy and he’ll
tap in and go to the turn in a level par
36 as for Victor hovland who’s got the
most extraordinary shirt with a a a
dramatic aelia imprinted all over it
well he’s uh he’s looking pretty as well
on the leaderboard as well because he’s
knocked in a birdie at the eighth and
the Norwegian at three underpar is in
fifth place place within three shots of
Des shambo’s
lead how much time did you spend ahead
of Majors choosing your outfits
Andrew I would never wear yellow
trousers okay but um I wouldn’t spend
that much time I mean I I I know these
clothing companies send out what they
want you to wear um a shirt wise anyway
um but no I wouldn’t spend that much
time I I think I think at the Ridder cup
I think Matt Wallace was talking to us
this this may have been off air The
Outfits have sort of chosen about a year
in advance that’s because obviously they
then need to get them in the shops and
so on and so forth for for when they’re
worn so nowadays for a lot of the big
players it’s it’s very very coordinated
on their
behalf just going to jump in here
because Rah is playing his third shot at
the 10th from way down in that
depression to the left of the 10th not a
bad shot but he’s left himself 10 11
maybe 12T to save his car and he’s
chuntering as he climbs up that steep
bank to get to the putting
surface Choppers if I can just jump in
quickly and finish up this clothing
discussion absolutely I was staying in
the same Condo building at the
international in Denver one time with
Nick Faldo he was on the bottom floor
and I was on the top floor and he’d
missed the cut as I’m walking out the
next day I’ve looked in the waist basket
the trash by the by the front door and
he’s thrown all of his brand new shirts
away they were just brand new that you
can see the rapper is in the in the
trash bin also and he’s chunked them all
away brand new shirts I thought about
taking them I really did but I left them
I would that was going to be my question
not even one did you not even take one
Noe No Bad
Karma we’re just watching Scotty sheer
here just um tapping in for his par
after a tentative attempt at a birdie
for the hot favorite um is just about to
t- shot but Ali well Gan I think you’ve
probably got time because Bryson Des
Shambo is now lining up a birdie pad on
the 17th green to try and get himself to
seven under but he’s marching around the
back of the hole and he’s going to take
a little bit of time sizing this up so
talk us through tiger well he’s just
going through his fast limbering actions
and just prowling in that tiger way dead
eyes a study of concentration you jump
in Ali if you need to he’s standing
beneath the SC clouds here on this
blustery blustery Thursday afternoon and
he’s just rehearsing and he knows full
well Andrew McGee that he’s not going to
get the full 18 holes in today because
of that 2 and 1/ half hour delay and
he’s just prowling as he one-handedly
practices his swing driver in hand but
how many times have we seen that look on
his face just dead eyed isn’t it he is
staring this Fairway down and he’s he’s
jumping around like a like a basketball
player before the game he’s hopping up
and down he’s shaking his shoulders and
he’s getting himself loose a massive
Gallery surrounding this meanwhile first
te box amazing meanwhile meanwhile on
the 17th green the uh distinctive ramrod
straight arms of the putting stroke of
Bryson dambo for a birdie for a fifth in
sixth holes to try and get himself to
seven under par this looks really good
from the backround of the green I don’t
believe it he’s hold that from 25 ft
from the back right of the 17th green a
fifth birdie in six he is absolutely
flying Round Augusta National in this
first round seven under par that is now
a three- shot lead in huge Applause on
the 17th huge Applause around the 18th
green for the announcement of the 26th
attempt at the Masters for the five
times Champion Tiger Woods and there are
the Roars as his ball arcs from left to
right and lands smack in the middle of
the Fairway going with the three-wood he
knows the wind is right behind him and
if there’s anyone who can plot his way
around this golf course in these
difficult conditions it is Tiger Woods a
beautiful shot Tracer to see that slice
it wasn’t just a fade right in the
middle of the Fairway beautiful start
for Tiger Woods so Mark Woods is
underway and he will take with him the
biggest galleries even though he hasn’t
played competitively since uh January
when he pulled out in the second round
at the Viv Riviera tournament his own
tournament the Genesis
Invitational and of course he hasn’t
completed a PGA Tour event since uh
making the cut here 12 months ago and he
didn’t even complete that did he because
he pulled out injured as well so it’s a
big big question as to whether he can be
competitive this week I think the big
objective is to make the cut preserve
that proud record of always doing that
as a professional and usurping uh Fred
Couples uh in terms of making
consecutive uh cuts at the Masters
there’s someone else he’s usurping as
well and he’s just gone completely out
of my head that was Gary Player thanks
cat well done Gary Player Fred Couples
and Tiger Woods all on 23 consecutive
made Cuts can tiger make it 24 I think
that’s the first and most pressing
question for Woods at the 88th Masters
here on uh 15 Sergio Garcia in those
stunning yellow trousers has a birdie
opportunity which will take him to one
on over Ryan fox is in this group as
well and he’s probably left himself four
to five foot for par the problem with
Ryan Fox Mark was his chip back onto the
Green from Over the back in two and me
he let go of the handle of his Club let
the the wedge tumble to that perfectly
manicured Turf he was disgusted with
himself left himself about 25 ft or so
for the birdie that he was hoping to set
up failed to get up and down for that
and because this green is so sloped back
towards the water he’s got about 2T now
but in it goes safely for its par Ryan
Fox then will stay at four under par Two
Shots off the lead but he was hoping he
was hoping to gain on Bryson Des Shambo
there after taking the risk and going
for the green Sergio Garcia I think he’s
just birdied so uh the 2017 champion who
hasn’t made a he’s only made one cut
since winning in 2017 he goes back uh to
one overpar as uh his blinding trousers
pass beneath us and they they they they
do and they waited on that big white
scoreboard just opposite us they were
about to put a seven up for deshambo to
Sy to signify he gone to 7 under but
they just waited they waited for Fox and
Garcia to put before that 700 has gone
up and it’s been barely noticed uh by
the patrons here at Augusta National and
I just wonder Ali as as you watched him
SN that 20 foot for Birdie on 17 how he
reacted because he’s birdie here on 15
his Birdie on 16 the the reaction was
very as it as it probably should be you
know we’re on the opening round of of of
the Masters but you know very
understated little tip of the peak of
his cap and off he goes to the next hole
yeah exactly the same on the 17th and I
think a little bit here mark because
this grand stand that I’m standing in at
the moment I would still say it’s a
handful of Spectators so there there’s
there’s room for hundreds of Spectators
here there’s probably 30 or 40 watching
so I think a goer might get a little bit
more pumped up if there was an enormous
raar beside the green it it was a such a
beautifully judged P one of those
classic ones that just drops in with its
very last roll looked good right from
the moment it left the blade perfect
Pace across the green uh and dropping
into the hole it’s such a picture here
up by the 17th as well so Bryson Des
Shambo now has made his way back uh to
the uh the very narrow Corridor of the
18th T the 18th hole Par Four all the
way up the hill you can’t really see any
Fairway from back there you’re just
hemmed in by these giant thin tall trees
that are swaying in the breeze that he
picking up uh again Bryson Des Shambo is
is waiting to hit the drive I’ve seen
hats blown off heads as cat was
describing earlier on I can see lots of
uh the patrons sitting in these little
collapsible green chairs that they March
out early morning and park in their
favorite positions on the golf course
they’ve got the refreshing beverages in
those familiar dark green Augusta
National cups and they’re enjoying some
fantastic golf this afternoon so Des
Shambo is in the middle of the 18th T
three shot lead at the moment seven
under par but exactly as you say mark
just very very calmly going about his
business and actually people sort of
Milling around that 18th te at the
moment I think blissfully unaware some
of them of of what’s going on The
Spectators probably only one or two rows
deep uh as they look back down uh
towards that 18th T slight delay back
there at the moment so I’m guessing the
Fairway further ahead might still have
golfers in it but now I can see the
Shambo who is just bending down and
putting his teg in the ground this is
25th round uh at the Masters and only
three of them previously have been in
the 60s well he’s certainly going to do
that today because if he passs this 18th
hole he’s going to start with a 65 and
you mentioned the 66 that got him in the
lead at the end of the first round in
2019 so the Shambo is just disappeared
from view for a second hiding behind one
of the Tall Pines you sound like you
want to come in and well say something
Mark well you could just hear the chairs
in the background and that’s because C
Sergio gaser is maybe 18 in from an ace
he done Bryson Das Shambo hasn’t he is
about the same distance that Des Shambo
was absolutely at it like a dart and
there was no wind when Sergio Garcia hit
it now here’s poor old Ryan Fox he’s
going back to the bag to pick a
different Club oh no he’s hit it and
it’s gone onto the right hand shoulder
of the green so miles away from the pin
because he tried to ply it into the wind
and the wind must have dropped and he’s
left himself out there but Sergio Garcia
that was a golf shot of somebody who is
playing his 25th Masters Championship 25
years after his debut as well that is
the golf shot of a player who knows this
course like the back of his hand John
Rams just dropped one Ian on the par
41th yes it was a a very delicate putt
that he had to negotiate and it never he
never gave it enough in terms of break
or Pace and it came up short he’s very
frustrated he flicked away some
something off the the green as he went
up there to tap it in and uh eventually
he did tap it in and that was a bogey
five so the defending Champion back to
one under par remember Scotty sheffer’s
at two underpar Matt Fitzpatrick
dropping a shop at the ninth had a good
chance on 10 couldn’t take it he’s at
one under as is Shane Larry Rory maroy
at level par and Tiger Woods has hit his
second shot into the first and he has a
really good opportunity really good look
at Birdie on the very first hole and
from what you’ve seen on on your monitor
in the biggest galleries are following
tiger Oh by a Distance by an absolute
distance so many people made sure that
they hung around and waited to see the
15 times major Champion tea off and they
will be following him I would imagine
every step of the way this
afternoon he’s playing with Jason day
and Max homer so we’ve just got three
more groups to come out onto the course
Brian Haron the open Champion who’ll be
alongside Brooks kka and Tom Kim then
the an ultimate Trio a Jordan SP and
ludig Herber and sah tala and then
you’ve got the final group who go out at
half 4 local times that’s half 9 in the
UK Dustin Johnson Colin marawa and Tommy
Fleetwood has Bryson driven off on 18
Ali he has Mark because he’s going to
March just beneath our commentary
position here at the back of the 17th
green and again very businesslike you
can hear actually from up here just some
words of encouragement from the patrons
left and right and you can see him
looking left and right just nodding and
saying thank you very much and then he
prods his tongue into the corner of his
cheek and I think it he might have found
the bunker uh off that 18th tier if I
only I brought those blooming binoculars
honestly I’m I’m going to have to go buy
some I’m going to have to go and buy
some Augusta National issue binocular
which are going to set me back a fair
bit they’re not x-ray binoculars though
are they I mean cuz it went down the
left hand side you there’s no way you
could have seen where that ball finished
up even with them and right though he he
did finish up in the bunker down the
left hand side the first of those two
bunkers on that 18th as uh cat I think
you can see Ryan Fox uh I have seen Ryan
Fox teeing off on the part 36 that was a
while ago so I think you’re back at the
uh the content Center aren’t you in so I
think you’re on a bit of a delay looking
at that t-shot he unfortunately was
Bamboozled by the wind so Ryan Fox’s
t-shot for under depar who was leading
until a short time ago when Bryson Des
Shambo put the burners on once again
he’s on the right hand side of the 16th
green the uh the New Zealand he’s got a
very long sinuous part coming up for
birdie but it’s yeah certainly Sergio
Garcia who’s taken a bit of a break here
on the 16th he’s given a ball to a kid
he’s obviously loving his time here and
he’s just marching up to his ball which
is about a foot or so from the PIN for a
birdie for Garcia on the 60 and we’re
also going to see as well we’ve got Ryan
Fox up ahead on 16 and Ben Anne will
come into viw on 15 as well and he’s
another player who is on four under at
the moment and just joining them on four
under Victor hovland who is birded seven
birded eight and is now birded nine and
you know we’re very early on aren’t we
in but we talked about wanting a
leaderboard that had the big names on it
had a mix of the names on it and you
look at it and dambo is on there and RAM
is just clinging on there but hovland’s
on there Windam Clark is on there Scotty
sheffer’s on there Danny Willet is on
there it’s it’s the the the are good
yeah the little bit of everything in
there isn’t there and that’s really
really encouraging um you know if this
if this continues then we have the the
the prospect of a vintage Masters I’m
really impressed with Victor holand
who’s been struggling of of late uh
hasn’t said he hasn’t really been
concentrating on his short game which
was so good last year he’s not needed to
rely on it so far his puttings look
really assured and as you say that’s
three birdies in a row really rammed
home is put on nine from just off the
right edge of the green to get to four
under par and into a share of second
place dambo in the bunker on 18 but in a
commanding position at seven under par
and I have to say Scotty Sheffer looks
absolutely superb at the moment he’s hit
a wonderful second shot into the 10th
and he’ll have a good birdie opportunity
to get to three under well without
having seen the single shot that he has
played but looking at How He is building
his round just on the scoreboard Andrew
McGee it is very Scotty Sheffer esque um
totally U you got that correct he is
this shot on on number 10 is the best
shot we’ve seen Pinn way back to the
right hanging hooking Li for all these
players to hold that shot with a little
fade into that right pin is very nervy
and he’s just pulled it off in Sheffer
fashion the the numbers are not going up
and down and Here There and Everywhere
it you know birdie few pars birdie few
pars thank you very much I’ll just build
this up gradually yeah he’s not come
close to to dropping a shot uh so far we
can see the open Champion Brian Harmon
is next to uh get his round underway
those clouds still scotting across
overhead little patches of Blue Sky
shars of sunlight and the left-handed
diminutive figure fires off his t-shot
down the left hand side of the first
hole among these very late starters who
won’t be able to get their their rounds
completed we’ve got a bad enough
daylight until 8:00 in the evening Brook
and here’s Brooks kka who’s many
people’s favorite and a little nod from
him PGA title next month and here he is
just getting himself ready to play his
t-shot and now he’s uh ready to go
Shadow just a little paler at the moment
as the clouds get across the Sun and
here he goes with his t- shot and sends
it Forward looks a little concerned as
he watches this one as it lands down the
right hand side and the concern was well
merited it was flirting with the bunker
and it’s gone into that bunker now up
ahead on the first Tiger Woods from 10
ft this for birdie for the five times
Champion what a story if he can get off
to a flyer sends this Puck forward
turning from right to left right into
the middle of the cup wouldn’t you just
know it Tiger Woods the man for the
moment so many so many times in his
glorious career well there’s another
little moment as he birdes the very
first hole and goes straight into the
red figures now Bryson Des Shambo from
the bunker 172 yards Out Here Andrew
clean yeah this is the Sandy L bunker to
get this ball up quickly up quick over
this lip clean hit balls up I think he
likes it he’s staring it down I think he
likes it a lot on his way oh it’s right
and it carries the bunker rolls onto the
green pretty good shot there yeah he
managed to just carry the bunker to the
right of the Green catches the slope
trundles down onto the putting surface
and he’s going to have a putt of around
about 30 ft um into uh potentially a
birdie that would give him a round of 64
out in front at the moment at 7 underp
par and safely on the putting surface on
the closing green Mark okay thank you
we’re watching Ben an here in front of
us aren’t we cat who is four under one
of several on four under uh right I I
have absolutely no idea what Ryan fox
has done up on 16 I mean he was a good
50 60 ft away but he has three puted
that yeah I can see uper ahead they’re
just finishing up on 16 there’s still a
uh action going on on that green Sergio
Garcia and his bright closes is long
gone and I think Ryan fox has trudged
off as well onto the 17th T just see
them heading up towards the hill there
but yeah I can see the big white
scoreboard over to the left hand side
those numbers for Ryan Fox Five under
par as he made the turn dropping a shot
on the 13th and then another drop shot
for him on the 16th he was a long way
away on that on that 16th screen and it
has a really difficult roller coaster of
a pot down towards the hall yeah his uh
his first pot uh went 12 13 ft past and
then he missed the one coming back for
par so he has Bogi 16 and he drops to
three under benan on four under in front
of us let’s find out about Windam Clark
who a bit like Scotty Sheffer looks to
be going along serenely Ian yeah very
very serenely and when you consider that
this is his debut uh at the Masters it’s
extraordinary and he has picked up a
birdie at the ninth lovely approach in
there and has knocked in the birdie putt
so he’s gone to the turn in 33 in his
first nine holes in the Masters of
course the reigning US Open champion and
someone who has really established
himself as one of those figures who can
play his best on the toughest tracks so
he’s very well qualified for his first
tilted a green jacket what what are the
challenges Andrew McGee for for for
those who are going out now you know who
are starting their rounds at around 4:00
this afternoon when they would have been
expecting really to be getting underway
around two half past two are the
challenges today in in getting ready for
such a late tea time or will they come
tomorrow when you’re obviously going to
have to play more holes just before you
answer Andrew Scotty Sheffer missing
that glorious opportunity on 10 settling
for a par remaining at two under well I
think these players they’ve they’ve done
this many many times they they know
they’ve had rain delays and and and
delays and all kinds of reasons but um
they’re going to have to finish tomorrow
morning they’re going to take their time
they’re going to try to get as many
holes in as possible of course and and
uh it’s just part of the game it’s just
what happens quite often out here on the
tour and accept the luck of the draw you
just got to accept the luck of the draw
teeing off late um you always want kind
of the the late early draw if you’re a
player cuz if you’re if you’re playing
well and you finish in the evening you
get to just sleep and get right back up
and get right back at it instead of
finishing up midday um but here we go on
our screen in front of us Tiger Woods
left off the second te in the trees okay
Ian’s also got Bryson and I think John
Ram is is battling to save his power on
11 so Ian and then John okay here is uh
Bryson Des Shambo just coming up onto
the 18th taking the cap from his head
taking the Applause and getting himself
ready for that birdie putt that would
give him a 64 John news of John Ram yes
John Ram has hauled out from 4et at the
11 Ian to remain at one underpar the
defending champion and uh and keep an
eye out for Matt Fitzpatrick on your
leaderboard as well because he’s just
birdied the 11th one of Rams playing
Partners so Matt Fitzpatrick to under as
they walk up onto the 12th screen he’s
playing very nicely indeed isn’t he Matt
Fitzpatrick uh battled to make his par
on the first picked up a birdie at the
second then went to two underpar with a
birdie at the eighth dropped a shot at
the ninth uh then par 10 and now has
picked up that birdie on 11 and birdies
on 11 they are gold dust aren’t they
Andrew McGee oh the hardest hold at the
Masters for decades plays well over par
long par for down the hill towards Ray
Creek Justin Rose with a bogey to go two
over in front of us that’s not what he’s
uh looking for by any stretch of the
imagination so many leaves have come
down it’s almost looks kind of autumnal
uh around certain parts of the of the
course because they’re being being
scattered by this Gusty wind that is uh
just blowing so much Dey about the
normally pristine Augusta National uh
we’ve got pictures here of Windam Clark
on the 10th as we wait for Bryson to
Shambo who’s going to be putting into a
really severe and Gusty wind as and when
he gets to his uh putt but Windam Clark
we can see on the 10th playing his
second shot into this Par Four and
sending it forward and staring down as
this one comes in and lands on the
putting surface pin high but a good 30
35 ft left of the flag but not flirting
with any of the trouble
there yeah perfect shot 10 is just
another hole really really hard hole
guys left to the hole here that’s the
only play you have Windham Clark very
steady has that abbreviated follow
through we’re kind of getting used to
seeing drives the ball low with lots of
spin lots of power Brooks kepka is
playing his second shot at the first
from the bunker that he drove into and
he’s lost that one out to the right just
down in a little gentle uh depression to
the right of the green the place to miss
though with plenty of green to work with
with his third shot the live player and
now we can see Tiger Woods ball which is
come up to rest right next to a tree
down the left side of the second and if
he is to adance advance that forward
he’s going to have to play it
left-handed yeah with a almost that a
pine cone on the other side of the trunk
of that tree not a good t- shot from
Tiger Woods yeah left-handed let’s stay
tuned and watch this this got to be
interesting tiger chopping on his gum
walking gingerly still has a a bit of a
limp as he’s going but he does look he
does look very good though he looks like
Tiger Woods there is a hint of a limp
there but it is way way better than it
was last year when of course he he
pulled out in all that awful weather on
the Saturday having made the cut earlier
in the day he takes the cap from his
head and he comes down it and looks
rather peeved about that I don’t know if
on the 12th we can get news of Matt
Fitzpatrick with John and you can Ian
because I’m watching his
t-shot which is terrific it is that’s
the best t- shot that we’ve seen so far
today at the 12th right at the flag and
that is within
Trish yeah I think it’s maybe just a tad
more than it looks but it’s I think it’s
a couple of feet just short but if it
just rolled on I tell you what every
chance of seeing our first hole in one
there
today there’s not been a haul in one at
the 12th Ian in the Masters since 1989 I
think it was Curtis Strange was it I
think it was 1988 88 was it 88 I think
they’ve only been three in total I think
you’re right was very very close now
here is Bryson Des Sho looking for a 64
putting into the wind across the back of
the 18th green sending this on its way
heading down towards the hole the flag
remains in the hole and the ball Nestles
up next to it beautifully judged for
pace and that was not easy to negotiate
in these conditions no we could you can
see the leaves are starting to gather
this wind is just playing Havoc with the
players crouching down getting closer to
the ground as the wind picks up
beautifully judged from 40 ft right that
whole Bryson dampo just a just one foot
left for a 65 who would have fed that
what a start what he started the uspga
very well last year he was one of those
who showed that the Live players John
can really do a job still in the majors
well he’s done an outstanding job today
now it’s John Ram with you isn’t it John
yes it is he’s taking his time just as
Andrew McGee was talking absolutely
right the wind absolutely swirling
around here but his ball is on its way
now and he’s landed on the left portion
of this figure of eight shape green at
the par three 12th right over to the
left so a long long way probably 25 ft
and more Trish for his birdie put but
he’s safely on the green the defending
Champion yeah pulled it straight away
straight off the club face you could
tell that um there was a little bit of
Breeze up there but it’s straight into
us if anything it’s not right to left so
yeah not the greatest shot but he’s got
a what a 35 foot outside birdie chance
but Matt Fitzpatrick the yorman has a
chance to go birdie birdie at 11 and 12
and you’re right it’s probably what two
feet if that yeah and you know what we
don’t talk about Mass Patrick hardly
ever you know he is a major champion and
we sort of we don’t really put him in
that bracket and I do think he’s a major
Champion that he’s going to win more
Majors he has the utmost belief in
himself and yeah the way he’s putting I
think he’s going to be a a contender
this week well he should be going to
three under very shortly do you know
what Trish uh myself and Ally watched
Matt Fitzpatrick practice yesterday
actually round Amen Corner and he was on
his own on 11 and on his own on 12 and
nobody nobody was really paying any
attention whatsoever so you talk about
how he goes around sort of unnoticed and
people forget he’s a major Champion
there was nothing around him really and
in fact there was probably more interest
once Tony feno up ahead on 12 asked him
to sort of join him to come down 13 and
then a few people started watching but
it was all very St yeah I think he’s
just one of those BLS to be honest
chapers that you you sort of I don’t
know he he doesn’t have that aura about
him um and and you you know even the way
he sort of sets up to a golf ball it’s
very unusual for a professional golf he
puts his left hand on first no one ever
does that they put your right hand on
first and then you sort of set up and
get in he puts his left hand on very
sort of I Can’t Describe I mean Andrew
will understand when I say kind of
amateurish in a way that that he sets up
but he’s such a hard worker he takes
every stat he has done since he was a a
young kid 14 15 years of age he never
ever misses a stat of any practice round
anything he does he works his socks off
and I’ll tell you what he is some ball
Striker and he’s made himself into a top
ball Striker and he’s always been a top
class passer and there is that’s a
pretty damn good combination yeah but
that was true wasn’t it Ali no nobody
was paying any attention to him
whatsoever but AP from us um it’s Tony
feno wasn’t it were you just saying gave
him wave up waved him up on 12 you
weren’t paying attention to me were you
really I was I was well I’ll tell you
what the the only thing that uh that
distracted my attention Sergio Garcia’s
just arrived on the 17th do you like
them no okay I mean it’s bold and it’s
it’s dazzling and it’s bright and it’s
strident and you can’t miss him from a
mile off and without binoculars he’s
helping me but not for me Clive thank
you well let’s not forget if you were
wearing them you probably wouldn’t have
anything on underneath Ian was an image
um Tiger Woods uh up against the tree
guys have to play left-handed the other
thing to Just note right now is that
ludvig Oar has made his major debut he
has hit his first shot as a major golfer
already a Ridder cup golfer already a
winner on both sides of the Atlantic an
extraordinary Talent he has H his first
t- shot at the Masters and he has found
a bunker down the right hand side of the
first now here’s Tiger Woods and he’s
having to play this left-handed turning
the club upside down and then just a
swing back to about a third and then
going through a third in terms of follow
through and showing all his experience
just hooking it out into the Fairway
taking his medson no other choice yeah I
think he can still probably hit the
Green from there maybe about a 23 40
shot left on that par five number two
not in huge danger that looked like a
lot of danger but he could just scape
with a par just a quick question to you
Andrew we’ve talked about Windam Clark
who’s making his master’s debut we’re
talking about ludvic obar making his
master’s debut do you think that these
conditions make it easier to make your
debut here because of how things happen
or is it harder because of the the
conditions that they’re playing I’ll get
your answer after I tell you that Victor
holand has gone way way way way right
completely the wrong side on the 10th
after hitting a wonderful t-shot now we
can actually see Tiger Woods with his
third shot from 190 yards on the second
this one is on its way and goes way over
the back of the green and into the crowd
that’s the wind that’s just the wind
playing Havoc look at tiger looking up
into the sky going oh my gosh what have
I done I escaped and now I’m back in
trouble here we go Brooks kept on the
very very first toll he’s chipped up oh
he’s bogied his opening hole this 88
Masters capka one over par after one and
of course we’re just awaiting the
conclusion of Bryson Des shambo’s round
which I’m pretty certain will constitute
the first round lead he putted up a
while ago just to the whole side he’s
got a a tap in which will be for a 65
and we just a wait news from that 18th
green but the cheers come up for the
champion in 2003 the Lefty from Canada
Mike wear who has just hold his fourth
shot from well short of the green on the
eighth FL an
unlikely birdie John I think you can see
John RAM on 12 yeah the defending
Champion with a long long put from the
back left of the 12 green which is on
its way down towards the hole and uh he
walks after it so he will have that to
tidy up and remain at one underpar while
Matt Fitzpatrick stands leaning on his
putter waiting for the the the
two-footer or so that would take him to
to three under now from short range
Bryson Des Shambo Taps into the middle
of the hole he takes the cap from his
head and a huge smile plays across his
face and he has every reason for
satisfaction a superb opening 65 for the
American coming home in 31 just one drop
shot and at seven underpar he currently
leads the Masters by three shots
and that is his best round at austa uh
his best before that was going back to
2019 when he made a uh 6 under 66 and in
fact he led at the end of that opening
round back in 2019 by the time the whole
tournament had finished he or the whole
Championship had finished he was on uh
29th and the last two times here he has
missed the cut Alli gutsy par made by
the New Zealander Ryan Fox we were
talking about him a lot earlier on in
our coverage playing in only his second
masters with his Eagle at the par 58 got
himself to five under par I think was
leading by a couple of shots then as
dropped shots at the 13th and 16th then
committed the big no no at the 17th went
over the back of the green the up and
down from back there is so so difficult
the green is about 10 ft above your head
he had about 15 yards to the flag he hit
one of those really clever little skdy
bump and runs in into the slope it
killed the speed it rolled about 6 foot
by and he’s rolled the putt into the
hole for a par and Sergio Garcia he of
the brightly banana yellow colored
trousers made his par on 17 couldn’t
make the birdie partt so he remains at
level par and someone here John Murray
one of the spectators here in the ground
standand at the 17th is wearing e muffs
e muffs ear muffs baseball capab and E
muffs is it Chile it’s not no it’s
lovely here at Amen Corner and even
though the sun’s just disappeared for
the time being we’ve got spring-like
skies above someone beautifully
hammering away on the grand stand below
us to uh to shatter the rural idal and
Away in the distance on the 12th green
Matt Fitzpatrick duly HS out for his
birdie so he’s birdied the first two
holes of Amen Corner and the yorkman is
three underpar and well within sight of
D shambo’s lead Trish Johnson and John
Murray you were 100% right that was an
absolute tap in it was not too foot at
all your eyesight is spectacular we are
also watching in front of us Mark uh
Scotty Sheffer and Rory mroy who are
also into Amen Corner both Sheffer and
mroy were short of the Green in two
Sheffer has played up to within a couple
of feet and Xander Schley who was on the
green the groans you heard there his put
for birdie from 25 ft just rolled by but
then kept on rolling as of course most
of them do at the at the 11 well we we
can we can stay with you because as far
as I’m aware there’s there’s nothing
going on for me and cat at the moment
don’t think there’s anything going on
for Ally so it’s it’s all yours and
obviously you know your eyesight helped
by binoculars it is yes binoculars which
are which are right on my eyes at the
moment as I look down at Rory maroy in
his lilac
trousers putting from short of the green
but he did not like that and he started
walking off after it immediately and
he’s left about 5T short yeah it’s a
horrible putt from Rory I think it was
just one of those is right in between
whether he’s going to chip it or putt it
decided to use the Putter and he’s such
a great chipper of the ball I’m
surprised at that uh the moment he hit
it it just po popped up straight up in
the air and he knew that it was nowhere
near and he’s left himself at least I
tell you what he’s got all of four four
and a half feet here for his PA but
Sheffer just played an absolutely
Exquisite little Chip Shot right to left
as quick as you like just pitched it on
the front edge just let it roll down
take the break a little bit to a couple
of feet a beautiful little Chip Shot
yeah and it will be royal maroy to play
first so as I say it’s just clouded over
for the time being but that breeze I
think capricious is the word isn’t it
that we often use for a breeze like this
that is swirling around us Michael
Wright Steeps up Wast no time and does
just hold out well he he made quick work
of that cuz that was by no means
straightforward no put is at the 11 no
it was a good four I mean this hole
today is spectacular uh it’s a six it’s
eight yards on the flag here six yards
from the left it’s 520 yards into the
breeze we can you can count on one hand
the amount of players we’ve actually
seen hit the green here today this is
sheffer’s Punt and when you do hit the
green you just left yourself such a
quick punt he’s got a little four-footer
here just straight up the hill yep
Zander shule then does Julie get his Par
Four to remain at two two over he was
quite fancied he’s got a good record
here he looks Trish a little bit like he
should be playing for West Germany
doesn’t he today sander chaet with the
white shirt black trousers and he’s got
a pair of golf shoes on that look like
they’d be more at home on a Bayern
Munich player black with the three
stripes on either side and Scotty
Sheffer the uh the winner here two years
ago the world number one the strong
favorite duly gets his PA for as well
after as Trish described a very good
Chip Shot from off the front of the
green yeah I must admit if you give me I
give me that outfit over Sergio Garcia’s
any day of the
week sorry but it’s true Trish Trish
calls for everyone to wear black and
white at the Masters I’m just trying to
bring a bit of color into all your lives
goodness me chapers there’s color and
then there’s obviously your dress
sense as’s a man just to my right walks
past in a sort of uh black and yellow
Tartan patterned cap which made me think
actually of who we saw earlier John
Murray yes we saw Jackie Stewart yeah
Jackie Stewart near the scoreboard on
the sir Jackie So within a few hours
this morning I saw with my own eyes Jack
Nicholas Tom Watson Gary Player and
Jackie
Stewart uh that’s not a bad collection
there that’s not a bad collection and he
he had a a Tartan flat cap on as well
Tartan trousers and Tartan trousers well
if you want the man in the Lilac
trousers the northern Irishman Rory Moy
is right now on the 12th the first time
playing the 12th at the
2024
Masters the man who’s trying to complete
the Grand Slam and his t-shot is Right
online and lands between the front of
the green and the hole and he has given
himself a birdie chance from in your
your binocular Trish I’m going to say
that’s 6
ft far bit from me to disagree with you
anymore John cuz you were perfect but I
think um anyway either way 68 ft it’s
straight up the hill it’s as easy a putt
on this scen as you’re going to get
beautifully controlled cuz just as he
stood over it the wind really whipped up
there Scotty sheffler now next to play
Scotty Sheffer the the bearded again
world number one somebody’s having real
problems with something in this grand
stand I was they are absolutely giving
it what for they are aren’t they yeah
it’s it’s Absolut the scene we’ve got
here it could hardly be better beautiful
warm conditions and someone is hammering
away at the Grand standand you would
have think they could have done that
yesterday is that I mean that isn’t is
that behind you therefore not disturbing
the golfers it’s under it’s underneath
it yeah where’s Scotty sheffer’s t-shot
gone TR yeah he’s gone big I think he
liked it yeah he’s gone in the back
bunker he liked it he follow it all the
way way but he just didn’t judge the
wind correctly and he’s he’s got a
tricky bunker shot coming back down that
Hill yeah so Scotty sheffer’s got work
to do to make his car and to remain it
too unde as somebody else has very much
got work to do and he’s not going to let
the master get in the way of it either
are you able are you able to judge
whether whether the Workman is finding
whatever is hammering trickier than
Scotty sheffer’s
pot now Xander schof I don’t I’m amazed
that they’re not can’t hear this they’re
just down in front of us and an
excellent t- shot from Xander shley
who’s who’s headed to that position
where we’ve seen a number of players 10
12T to the left of the hall very good
job it’s like something out of wacky
race isn’t it it’s unbelievable no one
else but us seems to know that some BL
is hammering this grand stand to within
an inch of its L can you imagine if
Colin Montgomery had his Peak was about
to play here he’d be he’d be twitting
like man yeah I’m not sure that Hammer
would still be in that BL see if I can
look over the back and well think go on
look you’re you’re a vers you’re a
versatile broadcaster switch switch your
attention to sort of right underneath
SOS DIY SOS and see what’s what’s going
on below you news of Victor hland he has
dropped he’s dropped two shots uh on the
par 4 10 so we heard from Ian Carter are
you still with us Ian yes I am yeah very
much so just checking you haven’t got to
fix the stand on 12 yeah it’s me I’ve
got a little talk here no he’s double
bed power yeah he got into such
horrendous trouble with the the miss
down the right hand side well up the
right hand side and ultimately has
racked up a double bogey six after
looking so so good earlier in his round
so from four underpar back to two
underpar heading to aen Corner for
Victor H also just on our leaderboard
here they’ve taken John ram off at the
top who was on one under and they’ve put
the Australian Cameron Davis on there
who is three hang on they’re just
changing his score which is not
massively helpful when you’re about to
read it but he was three under through
seven so I’m assuming they’re just about
to put up his he’s actually three under
through nine yes he is yeah yeah so he’s
gone to the turn in 33 Cam Davis so uh
looking looking very good there John Ram
to confirm remains at one under par as
it stands at the moment uh and Ben an uh
Bogi 16 just like Ryan Fox did so he’s
dropped to 3 under Fox is 3 under as
well as he goes down 18 Mark I’ve got
Scotty sheffler playing from out of the
the the the left of the two back bunkers
as we look at it and out it comes
rolling down and in what a shot what a
shot and a clench of the Fist from
Scotty Sheffer a huge plume of that
White Augusta sand came up the ball
landed on the green and rolled down
towards the hole and dropped in for
birdie to take the the world number one
to three under par well an amazing
amazing comeback made a huge mistake off
that te hitting into that back bunker
very little green to work with but
played an Exquisite little shot really
just all you saw was sand first and it
was traveling a little bit I think but
it was bang in the middle of the hole
and an absolutely superb recovery from
Scotty sheffler so Scotty Sheffer Ian
three under birdie chances to come for
chule and melroy at the 12th year
meanwhile up ahead at the 13th will
zalatoris rolls in from 7 ft something
like that for an eagle three so the
American back on the comeback Trail a
bit like Danny Willet after so much
injury Trouble Is Right in the thick of
things here that eagle propels him to
three underpar and a share of third
place with among others Scotty Jeffer as
you’ve been describing and Matt
Fitzpatrick also at three underpar and
to settle any arguments I’ve just gone
to the tracking device on the brilliant
Masters app which is available to
everybody and Rory mooy is 10 ft away
with his t-shot uh looking for a birdie
at 12 yeah should have recommended that
actually that it is it is one of the
best if not the best sporting app that
you could download and it is free and
it’s available to you and it’s got every
every stat and fact that you could wish
and it has the shots on there that the
players are playing I’m assuming it’s
not Geo blocked the shots in the UK so
you can just access anything to do with
the 8 88 Masters via the app it is a
really really impressive piece of work
just go back to zalatoris Ian and the
struggles that he has had because you go
back three or four years and and he
would have been on on a path to winning
a major yeah absolutely um you know he
came so close on so many different
occasions most notably perhaps at
Brookline in the US Open That Was Won by
uh by Matt Fitzpatrick he had the
opportunity to go to live as well he
turned that down got a terrible injury
and now he’s coming back John Ian maroy
has hold that 10f footer as you told us
and and again very quick wasting no time
over his puts a 10-footer there and
admittedly as Trish you said you know
that’s the that’s where you want to be
but even so very quick got up looked at
it rolled it in and uh and Rory maroy
that takes him to one un for the
tournament yeah just a magnificent I
have to say I just love mooy’s outfit
chapers you might notice a bit of bit of
class there white shirt sort of lilu
trousers and his shoes have just got I
think have just got a hint of lilac in
the in the golf shoes as well now that
is a class outfit all right well there’s
a bit of color in there so yeah okay
okay that’s I mean what what’s what’s
the biggest difference between lilac
trousers and yellow trousers well it’s
it’s what he’s got on top ah okay you
can’t be mixing the two and as Ally well
knows you know a bit of what green and
uh and yellow it’s not the right colors
is it it’s blue and white yeah but Chris
suon would would disagree with you on
that and uh and the news from the uh the
man down at the bottom of the grand
stand he’s got the pneumatic drill out
and and that’s done the trick and I
think he’s got his fence up it’s it’s
now erected so I’m I mean I’m not 100%
sure on this I not being a DIY expert
but I’m fairly sure you don’t use a
Pneumatic drill to put something up
don’t use a Pneumatic drill to break
through tarmac well it was the one that
was no no hang on he’s doesn’t sound
like he’s got his not theum whatever it
was whether it was a Pneumatic drill
it’s not quite it it’s the one that
goes yeah but what’s that
that yeah as cat says that sounds like a
Pneumatic drill but I hence the reason I
said a Pneumatic drill I thought a
Pneumatic drill is to break through
things rather than to attach things I
think he’s probably trying to do exactly
that to be fair right okay well all is
quiet now here at amn cor and for once
well apart from that from himart from
him other than that if in terms of what
we can see there’s actually we cannot
see a golfer currently on the 11th and
12th but very shortly uh the the group
that uh involves the the US Open
Champion Windam Clark who’s three under
Victor hland who’s two under and uh and
also in that group cam Smith the uh the
former open champion who is to under so
all playing very good goal but they’re
not here yet okay well why doesn’t Trish
stay where she is and why don’t you pop
down and and ask our friend what he is
trying to
do I might just do that go on just go
down and say any ideas when this will I
can I can see him if I look over the
back well don’t don’t shout because
that’s incredibly un I tell you what
though John just before you do that just
keep your eyes peeled here cuz hovland’s
hitting his second shot into 11 all
right maybe not maybe not the best time
to go down Maybe not maybe do that a bit
later Ian should we do a leaderboard
absolutely um I’m going to just pause
now because I think that hovland’s ball
is heading down towards you John and
it’s looking
Gooding we’re watching
uh it’s on the front right of the green
it’s just landed on the front right of
the green so the distance is excellent
and he will have a put right he’ll have
a put he’ll have a put right across the
front of the green now for bird I am not
B but how is he getting away with that
when when so what do you call that what
is that he’s using well that just sounds
like a drill I think pneumatic drill no
just a drill I think but I mean when
when you’re not allowed to even run at
this place how on Earth is is he
managing to drill with the golf going on
do you know the most amazing thing is we
are I’m in this ground stand and we
appear to be the only people looking in
this nobody else is reacting at
all nobody else is there’s not a flicker
from anyone else in the
stand I
mean I I don’t know how they’re not
hearing that I I really don’t back to
should we do the leaderboard here with
the company of DIY in the background I
don’t know whether I’m allowed to say it
but I’m going to say it anyway this the
leader board brought you an association
with black and
death Bryson D shabbo the leader seven
underpar round of 65 today magnificent
play from the live player and he leads
the Masters by three shots Danny willit
68 his first competitive round since
September coming back from shoulder
surgery what a performance from the
Englishman the 2016 Champion for andar
Ryan Fox three underpart 69 he’s in the
clubhouse now so it’s been an excellent
day for the Kiwi the son of the great
all black Grant Fox and he is at three
under par plenty of players on three
under out on the course Ben Anne as he
plays the 17th will zures playing the
14th Matt Fitzpatrick playing the par
five 13th the hot favorite Scotty
Sheffer is playing the 13th as well at
three under par as is the US open
Champion Windam Clark 3 under he’s
playing the 11th as we speak the Aussie
Cam Davis also at 3 under par having
gone to the turn in 33 Victor hins back
at two under pass same Mark as former
open Champion cam Smith so many of the
big names have turned up so far today
and Rory maroy getting in on the ACT
with his birdie at the 12th he plays the
par five 13th at one under par Tiger
Woods is one under through two holes
he’s playing the third and so he’s in
the red figures as well uh okay thank
you a little bit of a lull here on 15 16
currently got Patrick kley Min Lee Ricky
Fowler coming down they’re all in green
numbers so they’re all overp par but uh
Katherine D’s alongside me when when you
look at the ones that are coming next
though you’ve got some of the big
hitters who were just starting to
threaten that leaderboard coming down
here yeah I’m excited to see this as
well the Dei matsi Yama former winner
Wills alatus who Ian mentioned going
well on the leaderboard just in Thomas
in there as well these are the box
office names in this next kind of wave
that will come over the hill on the 15th
here just as the wind drops and the Sun
is so intense on the back of our necks
now here at the back of the grandstand
by the 15th green it is really quieting
down there should be some good scores
this afternoon I’m guessing uh Trish
just talking about um Ryan fox actually
and and we talked last night on the
preview about coming here for your first
Masters and then getting used to it
after that and Ryan Fox yesterday said
ahead of this he said last year I just
felt the week went so quickly it’s like
a whirlwind and all of a sudden it is
over this year I feel like I can for
want of a better term just take some
time to smell the roses to go out and
enjoy it and have a bit of fun and enjoy
being able to use this facility and have
lunch with the family and various things
I felt rushed last year so yeah this
year has been good to be able to enjoy
some things that Augusta offers us as
players
was that a question for Trish yes well
in actual fact she’s just nipped down to
um to to get something from uh from from
down the back of the uh stand so um what
I can tell you is that a hammer what I
can tell you is she’s just shouted up to
me and she said the reason that they’re
work doing this work is that the gate on
the back of the stand fell off so
they’re they’re putting it back on okay
so um so when she comes back she’ll
answer that question about Ryan Fox but
uh in the meantime time I’ve got Windam
Clark the US Open champion who is three
underparts so right in it on what is his
master’s debut the world number four
he’s pitching from 50 yards short of the
green and he’s landed it right up
towards the hole and it’s bounded on by
but then pulled up so he will have a a
put to stay at three under of probably
some 10 ft both hovland and Smith is
playing Partners cam Smith they’re both
on the green and uh and Victor holand
and we’ll have a long birdie put to come
to go to three under uh okay uh waiting
for Andrew McGee to come and join us
here on
1516 analyst Bruce Ball will have seen
one of the men on the leaderboard just
go through 17 that’s Ben an yeah he’s
he’s par the 17th Mark and he’s hit a
putt from the left hand side of the 17th
green so he’s he’s three underp par at
the moment which is four shots off
Bryson Des shambo’s lead rning that
incredible 65 earlier on today and as
soon as the putt was hit from our side
of the green I was thinking he has hit
that way too hard and it really did look
like he’d given it a thumb but it’s
quite deceptive from up here the 17th
green when you put him from the left
hand side across to the right you have
actually got a little bit of a slope to
climb before you sort of Crest the brow
of a hill and come back down towards the
hole it was a fabulous part that just
Grays the right hand edge of the hole
and then he’s tapped in for his four so
he’s going along very nicely first
Masters since 2020 last win on the main
tours of course almost uh 9 years ago
2015 it was the BMW PGA Championship uh
at Wentworth but um 26 at the open last
year and going well in the first round
at the Masters here by the way all the
shenanigans down at Amen Corner when
John was saying it’s up again it’s down
again reminded me a little bit of that
brilliant episode of Faulty Towers you
remember with the moose’s head where
Basil’s getting the moose’s head up and
Sybil’s in hospital barking the
instructions down the phone with with
John playing the role of B definitely
definitely
definitely uh back to you then Basel cuz
there are plenty plenty of action round
what is it
now uh we’ve got Victor hland so this
put across the front of the 11th green
the pond it looks that with the water in
there in these conditions it looks black
but reflections of the Big Tall Pines
and Victor holand who is also all in
black apart from that massive pink
picture of an aelia on the front of his
shirt so Victor hovland this for birdie
at the 11th you don’t get too many of
them this is from all of 30 ft he giving
it a lovely touch the Norwegian down
towards the hole still rolling still
rolling creeping down and he’s judged it
pretty well he’s left that to within
probably 18 in he will mark it he won’t
haul out just yet or will he yes in fact
it’s close enough he just walks up to it
not even marking it and he just rolls it
in from close range uh to remain at two
under par so uh safely in to remain at
two under cam Smith’s birdie put is to
come next Mark and uh Windam Clark has
to haul out to remain at three under uh
yes remember the leader is Bryson Des
Shambo in the clubhouse on 7 under and
that gives him a three-shot lead over
Danny Willet who is also in the
clubhouse a four under uh 68 for Danny
Willis today out there on the course
Scotty Sheffer is on 3 under will zot
Tores is on 3 under Ben an is on three
under Cam Davis is on 3 under and Windam
Clark is also on 3 under but
interestingly in the last half hour or
so some of those players who had been on
4 under had at one stage even with Ry
Fox got himself to 5 under they just
fell away a bit and again cat here
around 156 we’re looking at the flag on
15 and the FL it’s starting to flutter
more and more and there’s just you can
feel a slight freshness around and some
of the huge trees the loby Pines
opposite ours are really swaying in the
breeze at the moment and you’ve got to
be careful around those haven’t you was
it was three of those that fell down on
the 17th last year in the in this swirly
storm that we experienced uh over the
weekend but I don’t know Mark it’s been
it’s been tricky around here for sure
but we’ve seen a lot of birdy since
we’ve sat here so the 15th 16th with the
win behind on the 15th there are
definite birdie chances here and then
the 16th where the pin is just a few
Paces onto that front edge if you can
catch that little down slope and spin
the ball in from the right to the left
that’s where the ball sucks down towards
the hole we saw Bryson Das Shambo
putting one in close Sergio Garcia
following with one in close as well the
birdy chances around here we’ve actually
seen quite a few and we just the crowd
letting out an enormous gasp as minwu
Lee just spun one past the hole as well
from over the back of the green on the
15th here that would have gone in for
Eagle Min Le broke his finger you know
in what must have been a particularly
strenuous workout about a week ago but
he says that he’s not feeling any pain
at the moment and uh he’s ticking along
okayish this group Patrick Klay minw Le
on one overpar and Ricky Fowler as well
who uh runner up at uh the US Open to
Windam Clark last year he’s at two overp
par at the moment Matt Fitz Patrick what
a brilliant aim and here birded 11
birded 12 and he’s birded 13 he’s four
under having played 13 so he’s three off
our lead of Bryson Des Shambo John with
Windam Clark the US Open Champion now
this is a tester to remain at three
under and he rolls it towards the hole
and he’s up he doesn’t he knows it’s not
going to go and it’s going to be a drop
shot for the the US Open Champion Windam
Clark playing his first a Corner in his
first Masters and he drops a shot at the
11th Trish Johnson yeah very tentative
it wasn’t an easy part it was about 10
foot down the hill left to right but
he’s left it at least two foot short
very unusual type of putt obviously
really scared of of one that just got
away from him but this 11th hole as we
say it’s going to catch so many players
out yes uh I know there were there were
many who fancied him to do well this
week and he’s right in there Windam
Clark and remarkably Mark you know the
world number four play playing in the
Masters for the first time which makes
him the highest ranked player to make
his debut in the Masters and and that’s
his first his first drop shot of the day
though is it I I’ll take your word for
that it is yeah the the other thing um
Trish when when you were going down to
check what the guy putting the gate back
on was doing was I was talking about
Ryan Fox he said that last year in his
first Masters everything was just a
whirlwind he had no time to enjoy it
this time second time round he’s felt
able to enjoy what the course and and
Augusta National has to offer both him
and his family and make use of the
facilities and I suppose when we’re
talking about the difference between
playing it for the first time and then
subsequent times is that first time it
must feel like a whirlwind for them on
my word I think coming and playing here
the first time especially under you know
these conditions today with the gusts of
wind as well you you must just feel like
wow I really you know you just don’t
know you’ve never played anything quite
like it put it that way you can play any
golf course on tour at any event and
it’s nothing like Augusta so when you
come back that little bit of comfort
that little bit of knoow you know just
the the calmness that you feel and
obviously Ryan he’s not been in the
greatest of form to be honest the last
few weeks but uh you know if you it’s
very difficult not to like this place
chapers no matter how poorly you might
play on your first appearance you always
look forward to coming back here same as
we do and it’s just a dream to be here
and playing and obviously he’s a bit of
a shame 13 that you know he he messed
that up today but
all in all yeah it’s it’s just one of
those places when you get the feel for
it it’s just an absolute dream come true
to play it a chair rolls down the course
from somewhere it sounded to me like a
tiger cheer but maybe Ian will be able
to tell us about that on a monitor very
shortly first of all news is Scotty
sheffler in trouble yes at the 13th he’s
just played his second shot going for
the Green in two and the ball coming up
short and ending up in Ray Creek the
stream that runs in front of the putting
surface Rory maroy has just played his
third shot into the par five 13th and
he’ll have a birdie chance of around
about 15 ft just wanted the ball to suck
down a little closer to the hole it
didn’t oblige but a birdie chance coming
for mroy nonetheless currently at one
under par uh John Murray Victor
hovland’s on 12 yes but I’m just
watching cam Smith’s t-shot of 12 which
has rolled into the water uh it landed
on the top of the bank in front of the
green and I just wondered with the wet
conditions that we had this morning
whether it might just cling on in a Fred
couple style but no it it didn’t hold
and it rolled down into the water so the
former open champion in the drink in Ray
Creek yeah it was a really poor shot I
mean he he’s trying to pitch it at least
what another 10 yards further up the
green than he than he actually did and
it just you’re right John just for a
second it looked like it might hold on
but as soon as it started moving you
knew it was swimming yeah I think it was
wishful thinking so we will now see the
the ever friendly faced the Ruddy cheek
Norwegian Victor hovland who is also
like cam Smith at two under and he sends
his t-shot off towards that thin sliver
of green in the distance and I’ve lost
it with the
binoculars and there’s not any Applause
oh yeah it’s on the right portion of the
green it’s landed on the right I think
the right right side of the green just
back right yeah back right back right of
the green so he will have a long he will
have a long birdie put from there and
now it is Windam Clark full of
confidence I was quite struck when we
went to the rer cup in Italy listening
to him when we had the chance to sat
down sit down in the same room and of
course the US Open Champion but he talks
an excellent game one of the top golfers
in the world and and he just backs away
now and it will start
again he’s
uh got dark blue trousers on in a sort
of powder pink colored shirt blue cap
Windam
Clark slightly
bearded and his ball now off towards the
looks like the left side of the 12th
green it’s big it’s over the back left
and it’s landed down in that Hollow just
off the back left of the green so he
have an awkward a very awkward pitch
from there Clark 3 under the other two
on 200 under so more to come from here
at Aon Corner after Ian well news of
Scotty Sheffer he got very very lucky
indeed on that 13th the ball hung on to
the bank he didn’t go down into the
water no penalty shot was able to play
his chip from the bank and he’s played
it very well indeed and he’s got three
or four feet for birdie now for
so what looked a bleak picture for the
world number one and hot favorite is now
a much happier picture for the big tall
American now here’s Matt Fitzpatrick
playing his second shot into the 14th
and just creeping over the back of the
green it’ll be an interesting choice
between chipping and putting from there
with the flag cut at the back of the
putting surface here’s Rory maroy on 13
delicate downhill putt looking for a
birdie still going still going and how
that didn’t just turn at the end and
disappear he wonders as he looks to the
Clear Blue Skies that one tantalizingly
hangs on the edge of the hole he comes
up Taps it in and has to settle for a
par five there Rory mroy and that keeps
him at one and a
par uh a man in front of me here has
just returned from the concession stand
with four glasses of beer for him and
three friends but they’ve also got they
also got Four Lads with them who I would
guess are age between about 11 and 14
who all looked expectantly at at the dad
as he came back with the beer to see
whether they were going to get a a taste
of it and it was a very much a no when
they sat down with those uh four beers
we’re waiting for will zot tus here on
15 Ian and it’s just a delicate delicate
little CH tap in for Scotty Sheffer who
must have been in his mouth as he walked
up the 13th Fairway flirted with Ray
Creek got away with it got up and down
and now he moves to four and a par into
a share of second place with Matt
Fitzpatrick with Danny Willet in the
clubhouse and they those players at four
under as I say sharing second place
three behind the leader Bryson Des
Shambo after His Brilliant 65 earlier uh
Wills alores here on 15 count might have
an opportunity to go 24 under
yeah he’s got a good eagle look here as
he’s walking up towards his bll which is
in that back right hand portion of the
green at avocado shaped green on the
15th and willor is just bending down to
mend one of his pitch marks underneath
the dappled shade of the overhanging
pine trees and he’s playing alongside
the man to whom he came runner up in
2021 Hadi
matama glittering Master’s debut for
zalatoris a few years ago and then tie
for for sixth place as well a couple of
years ago in 2022 so for his two round
two visits to Augusta National will zat
Taurus has become a little bit of a
specialist of course couldn’t play last
year because of the back injury that
forced him to withdraw he’s missed so
much of his golf but has come back and
has been playing some really good golf
second at the Genesis and a tie for
fourth at the Arnold Palmer and now here
he is on the leader board as well on the
first day of the 88th Masters
Championship three underpar will zator
down
on his hunches in the shade hii matsy
the first to hit into this par five 15th
in the Lilac shirt bright white trousers
former Champion has chosen to lay up in
front of the dark Pond which is Rippling
in the breeze and this is right in the
Hideki Matsuyama wheel Park from about
99 yards he’s stopped it dead 15 ft or
so for the flag for a birdie for mat SI
he’s currently three overpass so things
not going so well for Hideki who’s every
time I’ve looked at a leaderboard
recently on the PGA tour Hideki matam
has been in there somewhere he’s been
putting in early charges late charges
hasn’t had a win for a while but uh he’s
always been in the mix every time I’ve
looked at leaderboards recently now
zator is doing a little bit of gardening
on the green at the 15th tapping down
the the area around the pin which is cut
if you’re looking at the avocado kind of
at the top of where the stone would be
and will zorus is heading back towards
the kind of fleshier part of the avocado
shape he’s got about 40 45 ft for this
Eagle chance that would catapult him up
the leaderboard to five underpar and two
shots off the lead wearing a kind of
gray green t-shirt skinny blue trousers
John Murray and I went out to watch him
play in the PA three yesterday and uh
his wife
Caitlyn look very similar to him very
similar zalatoris shape that kind of
long seny legs tall straight back blond
hair insect likee features as well big
eyes small
face and playing alongside Justin
Thomas who had played some brighter golf
after his slump last year but it hasn’t
been going so well recently Justin
Thomas missed the cut at the players and
putting one up close to the pin he makes
a massive swipe with his right hand
hoping that it comes down the borrow a
little bit more towards the hole but
that’s a third shot in for Justin Thomas
he’ll have a a good chance of Birdie
here at about 3 feet from the pin
that’ll take him back to level
par and now the stage is set for this
Eagle opportunity for will zalatoris
third Master’s appearance and of course
had back surgery in April last year
missing the rest of the season but back
at the Masters for the first time since
2022 could this be a major championship
breakthrough opportunity for the man
from San Francisco lost the playoff as
well at the uspga to Justin Thomas the
man the other man who he’s playing
alongside so he’s been bettered by both
of his playing Partners at major
championships and with a point to prove
here on the 15th on the opening day of
the Masters at all
hell potting has not been a strength of
zalot taurus’ but he’s swapped to that
broom handle Potter and now he rests his
hand on the the white
grips and sends the ball on its way just
the lightest of touches to cover the 45
50 ft or so and he’s judged it
absolutely perfectly curving round from
right to left and just below the hole
that was a great great effort from
zalatoris it’ll be a birdie I should
think although that is not the zalatoris
distance two feet or so and he’s always
just the most uncomfortable putter to
watch he twitches and he wobbles over it
but uh his potting has been better since
he switched to that broom handle putter
so hopefully he’ll SN this in a few
moments time and he’ll move to four
underpot Andrew M has just joined us
here on uh
1516 and your the your first words to me
as you sat down were my hat blew off at
the clubhouse area it’s was really windy
on top of the hill as you walk down down
closer s of race Creek it calms down a
little bit but it’s very blustery so
difficult difficult uh lot calmer down
here at the moment uh Wills alus with
this little two foot three foot to take
him to four under and join a plethora of
players on 4 under including uh Scotty
Sheffer Danny Willet in the clubhouse
and Matt Fitzpatrick all uh on four
under going to be a little while before
dorus John Murray what do you have for
us yes I can I can tell you mark that
cam Smith his ball going into the ray
Creek at the 12th has ended up costing
him a double bulgy he actually went and
took his drop way over to the right near
the Byron Nelson Bridge actually which
is the bridge you walk down from from
the 13th T if you remember that’s where
Jordan spe took his drop many moons ago
when he had his difficulties here I
remember sitting alongside Andrew McGee
when we witnessed all of that uh and he
missed the green with that cam Smith so
a double bogy that means he goes from
two under back to level par the Open
Championship from St Andrews A couple of
years ago and Victor hland and Windham
Clark both parred the 12th so they
remain at 3 under Clark and two under
hland for the tournament as they go to
the 13th all together news of the
defending Champion Ian and it’s not good
news he’s dropped a shot at the 14th uh
so he goes back to level par and here’s
Matt Fitz Patrick looking to save his
par on 14 and missing chipped up chipped
up to 4 and 1/2 ft and that was always
on the low side just looked like he
pulled that putt to save par frustration
for the Englishman and he drops back to
three underpar Ram drops back to level
par and here cap in it goes for will
zalatoris so with that long Eagle pu
from in the shadows down the left hand
side put it into a couple of feet and he
has managed to tap it in with that much
steadier broom handle putter so he’ll
move to four underpath three off the
lead with three holes left to play on
the opening day um so he moves on to 16
and uh the media at the back of this
15th grand stand just starts to increase
as Justin Thomas actually hasn’t
finished on this green at the moment a
couple of the players have just walked
off just standing to the left Matti and
zotus but the media starting to pick up
two or three photographers of come and
join the Japanese media who are watching
Maxi Arma but the uh the photographers
are here I would imagine because Ram is
coming down 15 and then mooy and Sheffer
and hovland and Windam Clark and they
are all coming in the next half hour
down here and Andrew McGee will be
alongside uh cat for that Ally I’m going
to come and join you do you have
anything at the moment yeah well
interestingly uh wackin nean uh is about
a part on the 17th green he did a
wonderful second shot here in the par
for he’s got about s or8 ft from above
the hole at the back of the green he’s
one under par at the moment the Chile
and so that would get him to two under
which obviously would still be a full
five shots off Bryson to shambo’s lead
but I’m pretty sure I heard our golf
correspondent Ian Carter uh talking up
the chances of of wacky nean Australian
Open champion this season winner a
couple of times on the Liv tour uh as
well so this is looking like a pretty
solid start consistent with good form so
far this season if he pops that in he’ll
be at he’ll be to under par but um but
if you come up here Mark there’ll be
there’ll be fireworks bound to be yeah
looks like the correspondent knows what
he’s talking about sometimes I don’t
know who’d have thought don’t don’t
forget your drill when you go up there
right it’s all yours I you you you take
it away I’ll go and join Ali and then
Andrew can slide in next to C well
Bryson dambo is the leader after his
seven underp pass 65 the sound of the
shot you can hear is from the fourth te
that’s the open Champion Brian Harmon
and he finds the heart of the green
Harman yet to make an impression on this
leader board but tyell Hatton has the
Englishman Hing from off the Green from
probably about 50 yards out for a birdie
on the par for fifth spinning the ball
back into the hole and a big smile
playing across his face a few moments
ago Scotty Sheffer with his second shot
into the 14th as well sets up a a birdie
chance in the 20t uh range as well and
Nikolai hoard Ridder cup debutant at the
seventh ships in for a birdie and goes
to one under par arms a loft and there
is a birdie for hoard to take him to one
under as we go back out now to you Ali
yeah your man wacky nean has rolled that
putting quite beautifully eight feet
right to left on the 17th green perfect
Pace dropping into the hole uh to get
himself to two under par so he’s in the
mix the big white leaderboard away to my
right hand side here on the first day of
the 88th Masters uh sees Bryson Des
Shambo uh at the top seven under par in
the red numbers five birdies on the back
nine today Danny Willet is closest
Challenger at four under alongside
Scotty Sheffer and then a whole host of
players zalatoris of course four
underpar as well whole host of players
on two underpar uh including wackin nean
Ian so as you said um playing well going
into this Masters a lot of people
talking about him including you two
under one to play in this first round
round and an interesting um thought
about Z about Neiman is that he was an
invitation to this tournament because
he’s not picking up the world ranking
points because he plays on live but he
did win the Australian Open that caught
the eye of the uh members of Augusta and
hence the invitation to be part of the
field remember the Masters is an
Invitational Tournament now what news of
Will zalatoris and his t-shot latest t
shot c yeah just watching will zalatoris
just in Thomas and hii matama hitting
their t- shots on the 16th zator is the
first to go with the lowest score out
there at the moment four underpar and he
has found the front edge of the green
the ball just clinging onto that
treacherous slope which is now dappled
in shade from the overhanging pine trees
here goes Justin Thomas High Into the
Now clearing Sky just a few fluffy white
clouds remain from this morning’s
overcast conditions and this looks
incredibly good from Justin Thomas the
ball tracking down the slope towards the
hole absolutely beautiful from Justin
Thomas there Andrew McGee who has joined
me on the 15th Grand St ah so nice to be
out here at 15 this is my favorite place
I just love this to look back at 16 and
see these beautiful t- shots to this
possible hole inone pin placement today
mat ayama up next and those nice white
trousers flipping that three overp par
he needs to get it going to be for the
weekend yeah three overp par for maty
Yama the winner of course you remember
back in 2021 taking the Green Jacket
just five months after Dustin Johnson
had had the green jacket draped over his
shoulders and that’s a Yarman now’s
casting a vivid black shadow on the long
thin tea box looks like a cricket Wicket
the tea box at 16 and he sends it right
down towards the Bales at the far end
and then over the water and right at the
flag mat arm’s ball bouncing 4 feet from
the pin and coming to a dead stop
beautiful shot below the hole little
right to left put coming
up excellent three shots on the screen
under 16 yeah they’ve all gone for the
pin there and that Andrew MC because all
of a sudden there’s not a breath of wind
here yeah that’s the easy pin placement
we know the difficult one on 16 is that
back right pin placement that we’ll
probably see this weekend and we can see
a way to our right hand side a group of
players has appeared at the top of the
hill and the next coming down this par
five 15th and playing over this murky
dark Pond towards this avocado shaped
green and now the flag hagging limp will
be John Ram Matt Fitzpatrick and the
amateur Nick dun Lapp on the 14th Scotty
Sheffer looking for a birdie and coming
up just shy from around about 20 25 ft
something like that never threatened the
hole but it will be an easy tap in to
keep the world number one right in the
mix here at four andar in a share of
second place three shots off the lead
held by Bryson deso at 7 under par Ryan
fox in the clubhouse at three under par
Danny Willet in the clubhouse at four
under par Matt Fitzpatrick’s out there
at three under now having dropped that
shot at the 14th Cory Connors uh the
Canadian round in a two under pass 70
the same Mark as Ben Anne who’s in the
clubhouse wacky Neeman we would tell
telling you about at two underpar that’s
the same Mark as Windam Clark who is the
um US Open champion and I think we’re
going to have news of or get sight of
Rory maoy yes here he is now this is on
the 14th and he’s played a lovely
approach shot in now can mroy get things
going couldn’t get the birdie at 13 this
is from 18 ft sends it on its way looks
good oh it’s in it’s in for mroy and he
is starting to move in the right
direction he’s been patient today that’s
his third birdie fourth birdie of the
round now and he has had a couple of
Drop shots early in his round but melroy
is now musling into the top 10 into a
share of seventh place at two under
par so now Matt Fitzpatrick I think
playing his second shot into 15 with
ukap yeah he’s right on the top of the
hill I can just see them they look like
tiny dolls away in the distance through
the pine trees Matt Fitz Patrick taking
a mighty swipe because the wind as we’ve
been saying all afternoon is behind the
players so they’re getting a real bit of
help from the breeze coming down the
hill Matt Fitzpatrick deciding to go for
the green and flirting with the water
the pond uh through the back of the
green that constitutes that span that
takes you over through the 16th so
nearly falling into the pond on the 16th
he’s just come up short by about a
couple of feet really must have had his
heart in his mouth from the top of the
hill another ball coming flying in
Andrew McGee is just looking through his
binoculars to work out who is who at the
top of the hill but the defending
champion John Ram among this group of
players mat Matthew Andrew my brother’s
name is Matthew but that’s close I do
have some handy dandy binoculars I
purchased before I arrived well done now
that’s just good preparation oh sorry
Ally but uh Nick done laugh with a
beautiful shot and hit the Green Way
right here on 15 with an eagle
opportunity John Ram behind the trees
off to the right on 15 has to layup so
that’s the layup ball John Ram has had
to lay up he’s a bit short he’s about
100 yards or so out of the green has to
fly the water but that could really put
him in close that’s we’ve seen a lot of
players laying up here with the wind
behind nice bit of Back Spin can suck
the ball back towards the hole here yeah
I like the play getting a little bit
closer with this much wind if you’re
back too far with that wedge you can
spin it too much back into the water
John ROM a little closer than 100 I
think in that range to hit that low
spinner bounce twice stop it by the hall
let’s see if he can pull it off and Matt
Fitzpatrick just walking solo down the
left hand side of the Fairway here at 15
Billy Foster is scurrying along a good
100 yards or so behind him Matt
Fitzpatrick looks deep in thought Here
Andrew yeah with a fantastic round three
underpar at this point doesn’t want to
waste one here on 15 this is a good
birdie opportunity and then 16 coming up
another one and they just hold on tight
for 17 and 18 possibly could finish with
five under power matf pass Patrick in
beautiful shape in this first round John
Ram though at level Park grinding at the
moment on the opening day the defending
champion in you’ve got to look at the
five-time champion Tiger Woods with his
second shot into the fifth dropped a
shot at the fourth to go back to level
par he hit a lovely drive and a lovely
second shot into that fifth hole and
he’ll have a look at Birdie on that very
difficult Par Four now superb from Tom
Kim on the fourth H holding from all the
way across the green this exciting young
Korean and that moves him to one and a
par C John Ram just sizing up this and
I’d said about a 100 yards but I think
he’s a bit closer than that isn’t he
Andrew what do you think he’s looking to
do here yeah this is that this is that
low Skipper he’s still on a bit of a
Downs slope we all know you come down
the hill towards the pond on 15 so this
is a a down slope it’s going to drive
the ball lower he’s over the ball now
with that short John Ron backstroke and
the ball’s on its way low it looks like
it’s got good distance one’s bounce two
bounces stop right there backs up
towards the hole Nice Shot 10 ft 8 ft 7
ft 7 feet getting closer excellent shot
I was looking at the flag as John Ram
was hitting that ball I wasn’t looking
at the player at all the flag at one
point as he was taking his back swing
the wind was behind all of a sudden the
wind spins around it’s in his face as he
hits that but he’s judged it perfectly
tiny bit of backspin he’s about 6 feet
away for what would be a birdie for John
Ram getting back into the red figures
where do you think John Ram would like
to be come the end of the round three
holes left to play after this 15th if
he’s going to feel like he can
successfully defend the green jacket
from last year yeah even par at this
point I think he’s been a pretty sloppy
golfer today he hasn’t really had all of
his all of his medal out there he looks
very calm very patient he knows it’s a
fourr round tournament and he’s just
taking his time if he could hold this
get one or two R today that would be a
good start cuzz you never know what’s
going to happen at Augusta National do
you just can’t play yourself out of it
on the opening day Nick Dunlap is just
walking through those dappled Shadows on
the the far corner of the 15th green
here making his master’s debut the
20-year-old from Huntsville Alabama
became the first amateur in 33 years to
win on the PGA tour when he W won the
American Express back in January turned
Pro a week later but it’s been a bit of
a grind for him hasn’t it Andrew since
he turned Pro Mr three Cuts in in six
starts but a little bit brighter uh on
the couple of uh tournaments in Texas
over the past few weeks for Nick Dunlap
just propped up on his putter on the
back edge of the green looking at Matt
Fitzpatrick who’s standing almost above
the water on the 16th and he’s misjudged
this one Andrew coming up well short
well difficult shot his second shot put
him in put him in a bit of danger over
there he had to try to drive the ball
into the grain which you never want to
do it’s hard to judge what the the water
past the whole Downs slope blah blah
blah blah blah we know how difficult
that shot is he left it well short of
the green so Matt Fitzpatrick has to get
up and down to save his PA Nick Dunlap
long pot coming up for Eagle for the
young man from Alabama so he’ll be
putting for Eagles shortly he’s three
overp par Fitzpatrick the best of this
three ball he’s three under par but
struggling on the par 51 15 John Ram at
level par and he’s got a birdie Park to
come Mark I think you’re back with us I
am yes and I just arrived at 17 to a
smattering of Applause from the 20
people that are sitting know there’s a
bit more than that there’s probably
about a 100 people sitting in this stand
uh just to the left hand side of the
green on 17 because alist Bruce Ball
well well I promised you fireworks you
did I think I think we describe it as a
smattering of fireworks really because
you know there weren’t quite enough
people here to go as nuts as they should
have done Patrick Klay has just let from
one overpar to one underpar by holding
his second shot on the par 417 that had
me furiously like some crazy librarian
flicking through the record books to try
and find out how many times that has
been done and here it says 17th hole
that is only in Mar’s history I believe
the fourth eagle ever lowest score on
this hole is a two Takaki Kono in 1969
remember him Tommy naimer I think people
will remember him 1989 who had terrible
problems in the Road Hole bunker uh one
year at the open at St Andrews and Davis
loved the third 1998 made a two Patrick
Klay the Fourth Man to do it how about
that yeah and he looks
absolutely as you would expect Patrick
Canley to look uh after that too and
actually he’ll put him in the red
numbers because he came up 17 one over
and he is now one under Ian what do you
have for us at the moment well just a a
look at Matthew pavon of France who’s
quite a story really because he was the
10th Man to earn one of the 10 cards
with his performances on the European
tour last year to get on the PJ tour
made himself a winner on the PGA tour
that gave him eligibility for the
Masters and years and years ago his
parents came here and they buried a
little Euro in the ground here to almost
lay down a marker that maybe one day
their son could come here and play and
he has come here and played and he’s
picked up two early birdies on his m
debut and he’s now nearly had a hole in
one on the six tapped it in for a birdie
and so the Frenchman is at three under
par as we just watched Tiger Woods on
the fifth looking to make his birdie to
get back to one underpar do we know
where they buried it no that he couldn’t
he went he went to have a look but he
said he’s not going to try and find it
but he’s thinking of doing the same
thing while he’s here for his child and
woods very very tentative with his uh
putt there and he’s left himself 3 ft
tested to to save par very un Woods
likee that attempt at birdie at five you
could get into trouble doing things like
that here John Ram with C oh and he
can’t believe that it just glided past
on the right hand side the birdie Puck
for the defending Champion he dips his
knees in frustration as the ball just
Glides by on the right hand side tap in
par for John Ramen he’s walking back
towards his bag and and his caddy with
with his his bottom lip bit bitten
between his his teeth he’s gritting his
teeth now filling in his his scorecard
he knew that was an opportunity to get
into red figures late on this opening
day yeah downwind par five with he
probably could have hit six or seven
iron in here and he missed the Fairway
behind the trees and now looking back up
to the Fairway we see Maori dead in the
middle of the Fairway Sheffer on the
left side of the Fairway looks like
Xander shley is in the right trees he
has chipped not chipped out he’s punched
out and Xander shley will be l up having
a wedge but let’s see what Rory maroy
and Sheffer can do from the top of this
hill can they stuff it in there for an
eagle opportunity a nice tap in right
there for Nick dun yeah that was Matt
Fitzpatrick saving his car and it was
more than a tap in Andrew that was about
three feet and that could have been a
drop shot very easily for Matt
Fitzpatrick making that mistake through
the back of the green nearly going in
the pond on the 16th bad chip back up
catching that up slope and he’s got up
and down for his path and a m
Fitzpatrick stays at three underpart and
that is that’ll be important for him
going into the final three holes of this
opening game yeah nice save it just
caught the left Edge or right that was a
quite a nervy putt three- Footers are
very very difficult on Augusta Nation as
we all know the wind blowing you got to
grip down the grip a little bit further
down Crouch down widen your stance put
on his way that Snick done L for a
birdie for very well done yeah and he he
acknowledges the Applause from the crowd
and I don’t know if you can tell if
you’re listening on five sports extra
the BBC app BBC sounds the decibel level
here at the 15th has really risen
because if we look up the hill we can
see the figures of the world number one
Scotty shefer Rory mroy looking to
complete the g Grand Slam on the 10th
attempt and Xander choffle the Olympic
champion who’s been playing some
glorious golf of late all lined up on
the horiz and Rory mroy deep in
conversation with his caddy Harry
Diamond Scotty Sheffer I can just see
him lining up here sending one up into
the Blue Sky past those pine trees the
branches of which are reaching up
towards the oh my goodness me the white
fluffy clouds Scotty Sheffer almost slam
dunked it from the top of the hill on 15
that’s got to be all of what 250 yards
he went right at the pin he’s got about
10 ft for his Eagle Scotty Sheffer with
an
absolutely Sensational golf shot this
this exhibition of iron play from him
this year his well his whole life I
guess has been Exquisite amazing shot
from way back there to 8 10 ft now Rory
maoy over the ball crowd is gathering
crowd excuse me the patrons here at
Augusta National are all peering down
this top of the hill the top of the hill
on 15 marroy over the ball over the ball
looking at it big back swing big follow
through here it comes can Rory mroy
match the magic of the world number one
heading in towards the green it’s come
up short it’s clinging onto the bank
just above the water between the bunker
and the pond and Rory mroy not quite
making it playing to the right hand side
maybe playing it safe looking to make
sure that if he was going to miss he was
going to end up in the sand rather than
in the water but just just Clinging On
above the water Rory maoy he’ll have to
get up and down if he wants his birdie
but it’s definitely Advantage Scotty
Sheffer at the moment four underpart the
world number number one the 2022 Masters
champion cutting a tall figure in his
blue trousers and his his light green
shirt as he walks that long languid
stride down the hill towards the green
here alongside Xander Shuffle who’s in
Black trousers white top one a black
baseball cap chuffle at one overpar Rory
mroy two underpar in those rather
fetching lilac trousers and that uh
characteristic mroy bounce coming down
the hill that’s good a good sign isn’t
it Andrew Rory mooy’s got a little bit
of Swag in his in his step oh absolutely
with um kind of iffy start to to get to
200 now to fight back this is a this is
a really positive sign as we all know
the first round that austa has been his
Nemesis has gotten behind the eight ball
and not so much today he’s got a he’s he
got away with that shot to the right
here on 15 and second shot but he’s got
lots of green to work with right to left
fast chip coming across the green but
Scotty shelf again oh my gosh you’re can
hear the Roar Eagle if it goes meanwhile
behind us on the 16th T Matt Fitzpatrick
and Nick Dunlap have sent their balls
both of them onto the putting surface up
ahead and now it’s the turn of the world
number three the defending champion John
Ram standing over his ball on the path
three the water glistening in the
distance the green bathed in a pool of
golden light as we head into the evening
here at Augusta Georgia and the ball of
John Ram just bouncing to the right hand
side and trickling down the slope to get
better and better just under the flag
stick about 5 six ft for birdie for the
Spaniard as he pulls the white glove off
his hand and Tucks it into the pocket of
his uh his black Charles is walking
along the 16th Matt Fitzpatrick just
glancing to his right to watch Rory
maroy sizing up a bit of a chip here and
it looks like he’s going to play before
Xander chuffle perhaps who l up no it’s
going to be shuffl first who’s standing
in the middle of the Fairway the down
slope here at the
15th currently one over
par the man from California sending it
up and over the water one bounce two
bounce now needs to grip and suck back
but he’s overshot just caught up in the
first cut the collar of the green and
held up there and Xander Chu’s body line
which doesn’t look good does it no his
head is hanging down he just kind of
slapped his thigh with his right hand
and no he knows he’s uh not played the
15th well off the off into the rough off
the te to the right behind the trees
chipped out now he’s had a full wedge to
what’s he what’s he 25 20 ft behind the
hole with a defensive putt coming down
the hill you don’t want defensive putts
at austa you want offensive putts from
under the holes you can bang
it Scotty sheffo certainly doesn’t need
to bang it from where he is
he’s 11 ft from the pin and he’s
putting With the Wind behind him and
down the slope towards the water not a
putt I would like to take on but
remember this is an eagle putt for
Scotty Sheffer that would Propel him up
to a shot behind the leader Bryson Des
Shambo already in the clubhouse seven
underpar for Des Shambo what a round he
put together a little earlier on here on
the opening day of the 18 e Masters Rory
melroy now looking to just punt this one
up third shot into the par five chipping
up onto the putting surface now needs to
settle as it flies past the flag and
there’s a bit of a slope there that it’s
caught it’s trickling even further away
Rory mroy with a a shrug of the
shoulders and he reaches up his right
hand and rubs the back of his neck now
looking down at the face of his Club
thinking what on Earth happened there
that wasn’t what I wanted no he smashed
it just a little too hard and high and
that ball just trundled trundled hard to
hard to predict I mean you don’t sit
here and practice these kind of shots a
whole lot with greens this fast and he
thought it would probably grab I think
and it never did it never grabbed it
never settled down until it finally
stopped 15 ft past the whole left to
right uphill putt still has an
opportunity though yeah well you’ve been
watching a lot more of Rory’s round than
I have I’ve been out here on the 15th
grand stand all afternoon you’ve been
watching in the media center alongside
in these are the kind of length of puts
he’s been rolling in all day aren’t they
um yeah he’s he starting to get his feel
I mean it takes some time to kind of get
your feet underneath you here and start
walking the course and get into the
tournament again it’s 4 days it’s not
just a a Sprint to the finish on a
Thursday it’s uh you know he’s still
looking at the sky he’s still a little
bit upset about that shot right there
cuz this is the last par five and you
know you you don’t get a birdie here you
you’ve really missed out on one here but
uh I think we’re all going to be he’s
outside of Scotty Sheffer so he’ll be
putting after Xander sharley hits this
little defensive tiddler down the Hills
see how fast this is a couple years ago
we saw a couple of these putts go in the
water I think it was the greens are
still green enough they they can get dry
if it doesn’t rain they get a bit of a
light green brownish tinge to them by
the weekend is that’s really gets fun
out here so zanda chuffle to putt next
Mark for his birdie then a birdie putt
coming up for Rory maroy and the eagle
chance for Scotty Sheffer don’t know if
you want to go somewhere else first
we’ll we’ll just stay here on 17
actually C up because I was expecting we
Tor is about to play his third she’s got
a bit of work to do here Alli yeah he’s
committed the cardinal sin on the power
4 17th of going through the back of the
green you cannot afford whever the pin
is here to go long because he’s standing
right at the bottom this steep shiny
slope with the green the putting surface
about 10 ft above his head he’s got
about 15 yards back to the flag but only
five or six yards of that is green I’ve
seen a couple of players hit this shot
today both of them so far have gone for
the little bump and run but one of the
really difficult things to judge here
Mark is the sort of difference in speed
between The Fringe so even though that
looks super smooth and tightly moan the
sort of stickiness of that Fringe and
then the the the shiny sort of you know
dining table Speedy surface uh of the
green so as soon as it gets onto that
putting surface it’s going to go
streaking towards that hole zator is of
course three shots off the lead the
angular spiky Californian back from back
surgery in his light blue shirt over the
ball bumps it into that slope then just
climbs to the top of the hill he looks
to have judged this really well but he’s
not going to be able to stop it short
for the flag it’s good for Pace it’s
getting Applause but he’s left himself
maybe 7even 8T or so to try and save the
pie you cannot afford to go long at the
seven how many times do we have to tell
them Mark well exactly and he had the
wind behind him as well I’m not sure he
could have done much more than that
really cat Rory mooy those lilac
trousers bent at to right angles as he’s
down crouching behind the part that he’s
about to attempt for birdie here on the
15th that would take him to three under
PA four off the lead of Bryson Des
Shambo who’s already in the clubhouse
and probably showered and well rested by
now as Rory mooy really going to work on
this pu 15 ft or so across the green on
the 15th and as Andrew McGee was
mentioning a little bit earlier these
are the kind of putts that he’s been
rolling in he’s been walking up to them
quickly he’s been rattling them in but
he’s taking every care over this one
three holes left to play after this if
he could move himself to four off the
lead then that would feel incredibly
good for Rory mroy looking to complete
the Grand Slam and this looks like it’s
bending around a little too sharply for
Rory mroy it’s going to be a par for him
from just a couple of
feet oh he’s having another look at this
Rory maroy went up to it and he just
keeps one foot back from the P but he’s
uh he’s stopped he’s having a
conversation with Scotty Sheffer about
who’s is going to put it next Scotty
Sheffer is got his palm raised to the
ceiling what’s going on there they’re
talking about his ball might have moved
because they’re discussing did you
ground the putter did you did you help
it move oh they’re probably going to
call for a ruling here that’s what
happens on these windy days is the is
you have to be very careful with these
short putts cuz the greens are so fast I
think they’ve decided that no harm no
foul just going to tap this one footer
in but they talked about it Sheffer was
was watching so he he really had a good
a good sight of that ah par is in the
hall five in it goes for Rory maroy and
there was a smattering of Applause from
away to our left on the 16th as well
where John Ram has sunk his birdie putt
so John Ram in the red figures the
defending champion and now the stage is
set for Scotty Sheffer to try and sink
this Eagle putt Andrew what’s he got 10
11 feet oh I think he’s going to make it
as good as this guy has been putting and
hitting and he’s just so calm I just
loved his press conference yesterday
he’s just he’s checked all the boxes
he’s ready he doesn’t need to practice
anymore or worry about anything but
going out and trusting himself and
playing and I just loved his calm
demeanor and he’s over the ball he’s
done his due diligence he’s lined it up
from four sides behind it left side
right side Ball’s on its way good speed
and here it comes towards the
hole oh you can hear the groans of the
crowd and Scotty Sheffer puts his right
hand into his pocket to pick up the
marker he’s just going to lift the ball
up here and give himself a moment that
was very close indeed but it should be a
birdie from a couple of feet or so for
the world number one to move to five
underpar and two shots off the lead a
dangerous position for the rest of the
field oh they don’t want to see his name
up there it’s like saying Tiger Woods in
the ’90s you know he’s the 2000s
when oh just Taps it in for the four
high side beautiful putt for Eagle good
speed had a good chance let’s go back to
chapas
thank you very much I was just enjoying
listening to the two of you we’re still
waiting for will Salat Tores to have
this uh par putt uh hii matama as he hid
his chip in from just from the front of
the grp really didn’t get much purchase
on that what’s over he landed it right
next to zalot torres’s marker so zot
Tores had to move his marker for maama
then had his putt for par which he
missed he’s bog at it Sal tourus has now
had to put his marker back and finally
eventually he’s now like up his pot what
what’s quite interesting about that
though Mark cuz I’ve seen you know quite
a few groups go through this whole today
is that mat Yama with the chip as you
said came up well short of the hole
Justin Thomas then had a birdie P from
the right hand side of this hole and he
seems to have been fooled by it as well
he came up 3 or 4 feet short and I’ve
seen that happen quite a lot today and I
do know that this this putting surface I
mean all the greens are magnificent here
but there’s sort of deception in the 17
you can quite easily be fooled by this
green we’ve seen it happen countless
times before now this is a tester for
will Tor say he’s currently four
underpar went over the back of the 17th
Green in two he’s chipped up to about 7
ft standing over the tall broom handle
putter staring down at the ball sends
the putt on its
way no it hangs on the right hand side
of the hole but the gravity it will not
drop and he has to walk up and just
knock it in very gently one-handed with
the putter drop shot Salat torus he goes
back to three under par only his second
drop shot of the afternoon t-shots on 16
cat and Andrew and and uh Scotty
sheffer’s been deep in conversation with
Ted Scott they’ve still got the yardage
book out as Scotty Sheffer bends down to
put the tea in the ground and now lining
the wedge behind the ball that’s all
it’s going to be the wind though whilst
they’ve been discussing has swung
instead of going right to left it’s now
going left to right but Scotty Sheffer
is just as he says as Andrew McGee said
he’s checked all the boxes he’s prepared
he’s ready to go Navy colored trousers
light top long tanned arms with a Tall
Texan White Cap couple of Twitches of
the head towards the hole and now he’s
ready that lovely long metronomic stroke
sending the ball up through the pine
trees over the water right at the
pin and oh my word we’ve seen some t-
shots on the 16th on this opening day
Bryson D Shambo Matt Fitzpatrick Sergio
Garcia all putting them close and Scotty
Sheffer is right up amongst the very
best of them how about that oh my gosh
I’m just just amazed that this whole
after whole swing after swing just this
iron play is I’m thinking about Johnny
Miller back in 1972 or 3 when he was
hitting all those irons to one foot I
asked this caddy one day Andy Andy
Martinez how do you hit it to a foot so
often he goes we’ll be have yardages to
the foot I said that would be called
footages then wouldn’t
it now has Rory M mckoy got right for AG
has he done his calculations correctly
the crowd Falls silent and there’s a
smattering of Applause from behind me on
the 15th as the the next group are
playing in Rory M with that new waggle
nine iron in his
hand Butch Haron has given him that
little bit of pre- Swing preparation to
line up that back swing and Rory mroy
puts one in pin High to the right of the
flag and now it gets closer creeping
down the hill not as good as Scotty
sheffler but still Within 3 ft of the
flag almost like a match play situation
oh they just eating this pen up they
know this is their chance to make hole
in one on 16 here in this pen is just
getting killed I’m sure this is probably
more birdies on this hole than any other
hole today Ian will probably give us the
answer here in a little bit but uh last
but not least Andre shley and the black
trousers and the white top of this
Callaway hat that’s black and white is a
did shoes that are black and white I’m
not sure about those shoes they look a
bit like um
kind of primary school plimp sols don’t
they oh yes I’m not sure about those
black cap and a couple of little Waggles
from the Olympic champion just tapping
his thumb on the grip of the club now
sending the ball in the way this one
leaking off to the right hand side
curving away he was maybe hoping for a
gust of wind bounces to the right pin
high now coming down the slope and this
one is really Gathering speed as it
heads towards the flag and he’ll be just
below the hole putting up towards the
flag all three balls within six ft and
that was an absolute Master Class of par
three goal beautiful I love this vantage
point to be able to turn around to see
these shots on 16 after the eagle
opportunities and the water
opportunities on 15 and just beautiful
bunch of birdies coming up for you folks
who love birdies on 16 bunch of birdies
coming up Mark what’s going up on with
you on the 17 uh nothing at the moment
but we’re waiting for Ram and
Fitzpatrick and Nick Dunlop to come in
to view Ram one under Fitzpatrick 300 do
you have STS this 16 playing the easiest
no it’s not it’s it’s interesting
there’ve only been eight birdies um
there’ve actually been more birdies on
the 12th than they have on the 16th of
the two par 3es on the back nine so it’s
it’s maybe we’ve just seen them all
maybe maybe myself and cat and now
Andrew since we were there we’ve seen
them all it’s that Gathering pin
position so if you do get it right then
you are going to profit but um but
actually the statistics you know and I
see Xander chaule as well a really nice
one in there as well but I don’t know
whether it’s you know they’re all just
coming towards the end of the day and
also bear in mind there are way more
players who have played earlier in the
round than have played at the 16th yet
so it will it will balance out as the
day goes on want to do a quick
leaderboard I don’t think we’ve done one
for a while as we wait for Rah and
Fitzpatrick and also John and Trish they
have players coming around Amen Corner
and we’ll wait for the pots on 16 as
well with Sheffer and maroy watched by
cat and Andrew absolutely we’ve been
treated to a wonderful round from Bryson
to Shambo today a seven underpar 65 to
set the pace but Scotty Sheffer looks
really really ominous five underpar
three holes to play and everyone was
talking about him being a very short
odds hot favorite well he’s justifying
that at the moment Danny Willits 4 under
pass 68 in the clubhouse as well Ryan
fox in the clubhouse at 3 under with his
at 69 but then you’ve got zalot taures
Fitzpatrick and pavon out on the course
at three underpar melroy Clark Poston
hoard Nikolai hoard and Max Homer
they’re all at two and a pass are some
really good names on this leaderboard
Victor hin dropping back he went to the
turn at four under he doubled bogy 10 he
pared 11 pared 12 pared 13 is just bogy
the poor the poor the par four 14 I
really like the 14th walked it properly
for the first time yesterday why I’m
calling it poor anyhow the power 4 14th
he’s just bogy that so he’s dropped back
to one under and he will Loom into view
shortly uh with cat and Andrew Ally uh
Nick Dunlap third to play I think in
this group Rah Fitzpatrick and Dunlap on
their way down the 17th in the sunshine
and he’s made the same error that Wills
Alat torus did his ball is has gone all
the way over the back of the green it’s
almost run beyond the uh those thin
green ropes that keep the patrons just
off uh the uh the back of the green that
area where they’re going to chip from so
they’re just going to have to sort that
out and make some room for him John Ram
the drive went went right at the 17th
Fairway but not far enough right to
cause him a problem with the trees he’s
ended up pin High sort of back left of
this green now I saw Ben AR hit this
part uh probably I don’t know an hour or
so ago and this one from this side of
the flag the pin is sort of cut back
middle and look at look how Stiff The
Breeze is now the flag is really being
torn and and it’s really flapping
furiously on top of the flag this one
you’ve actually got to hit harder than
you think cuz Ben arm the one he hit I
thought that’s going way past and it
didn’t so John Ram will have that to get
himself to two under par but it’s an
outside chance I think he’d be happy to
get off here with a par and Matt’s
Fitzpatrick at three under par he is
just making a little note in his yardage
book we can’t see his ball and I presume
that means it is in that bunker front
right of the green so bunker with a um
bunker shot coming with a with a lot of
green to work with yeah well it is
really blustery up here on 17 woman to
our right was uh just struggling to keep
the the straw hat on her head and having
to use her right hand to to keep it on
cat absolutely not a breath of wind down
here it’s so weird isn’t it that here we
are down in this balll in the kind of
bottom left hand corner of the course
the 15th green and the 16th uh green
away to my left hand side all the water
the water in front of 15 the water in
front of 16 All Dead Calm like a Black
Mirror now as the sun is sinking down
below the big Bank of trees to my left
hand side it’s casting these black lace
Shadows across the undulations of the
16th green away in the distance where
Rory Maloy is standing just a few feet
from the hole putting for a birdie that
would take him to four underpar and this
would be a very useful birdie indeed for
mroy he’s walking after it he was up and
after that almost as soon as it left the
putter face and it’s a birdie chance
gone begging oh just you just can’t keep
missing these kind of putts the putt he
hit on 15 was poor it was low right away
doesn’t doesn’t give you any confidence
to hit a putt like that and he took it
to 16 and he just continued to miss
another putt a birdie putt from oh my
God 3 or 4 feet just can’t continue got
to make those has to keep repeating that
Mantra that he’s been saying since he
arrived here on the premises at Augusta
National patience patience is the key
for Rory Mao he’ll stay at three under
par as he heads to the 17th two more
holes to play play can he move closer to
Bryson Des Shambo at the top of the
leaderboard at seven under par now
Scotty Sheffer in the middle of the
Green in that little Bowl where the pin
has been cut on this opening day where
the ball gathers down really inviting
pin to attack and Scotty Sheffer has
gone right at it two foot here then for
the world number one for a birdie that
would move him to within a shot of the
lead and of course of course he makes it
well he’s full of confidence isn’t he
where Rory is not he to see that right
there and my goodness gracious I just
can’t think what he’s feeling right now
Rory Maro he’s probably his his putting
Guru coach Brad Faxon has probably got
some ideas for him this evening to talk
about but my goodness what a one loss
there yeah real chance slipping through
the fingers of Rory mroy here on 16 Ali
and markers the world number one Rory
mroy and the Olympic champion Xander
chule head to the 17th T so they’ll be
heading up the hill through that big
Corridor of sun shine back into the
Breezy part of the course and Andrew
McGee has scooped up the binoculars and
he’s looking up towards the top of the
hill here on the 15th where we’re
expecting Windam Clark Victor hovland
and Cameron Smith to hve interview
shortly the luxury of being able to
scoop up binoculars hours to Bruce Ball
two pairs of binoculars here guys that’s
gratuitously showing off I’ve
unfortunately left mine at home this
week we don’t need them for this part
what a fantastic view we have of John
Rams 25-footer from the back left to the
17th green defending Champion tall
imposing figure in the white shirt
matched by the white baseball cap just
widens the starts ever so slightly rocks
himself into position glorious Sunshine
splashed across the 17th green and this
one is really going to turn from left to
right but it turns early and there you
go M he’s not giv it enough and that
part does fool you and he’s left himself
maybe four or five feet there for the
par Matt Fitzpatrick with the bunker
shot again coming up that slope didn’t
quite get enough of that or or didn’t
get it to where he wanted it to and he’s
got about 12T for par to keep himself at
3 under par but Nick dup has got about
20 foot 25t for par so he’s going to go
first here so new to Scotty Sheffer back
down 17 on the T Ian yes and he striped
it straight down the middle just as he
always seems to do such an ominous
figure on this leaderboard at six
underpar and firmly in the Fairway off
the te on
17 and have you got views of Rory as
well haven’t seen him as yet because uh
Xander schofl to play first and schofl
is on the te now he’ll be disappointed
won’t he he’ll be very disappointed
because he’s been one of the form
players of the year without making the
spectacular breakthrough and at level
par at the moment given the blistering
Pace set by Des Shambo and Sheffer uh he
would have wanted an awful lot more than
that Tiger Woods we’ve not spoken about
he’s at level par and he’s just
fashioned a low one into the front
bunkers on the seventh after finding
himself out of position on team the
reason I smile at that is because myself
and Ally here at 17 have got a perfect
well we can’t say anything of the 17th
of the seventh green but we can see
crowds around the seventh green and I
reckon they are 10 Deep and so it was
just we think Tiger’s coming down seven
at the moment I mean the contrast
between the the 10 deep round the
seventh green and literally you could
park a full deck of bus on one side of
the 17th green where you’ve got RAM and
Fitzpatrick and there are this this
grand stand is maybe a third full and
Matt Fitzpatrick has just missed his PO
put to to kind of in this is nothing to
do with him Ali but a complete
indifference yeah and he’s left it a
couple of feet short it’s causing real
problems this green as it always does at
the 17 so came up 12T short with the
bunker shot and the putts come up a
couple of feet short he’s had to mark it
and that is no tapping and that is for
the bogey five so he’s definitely going
to drop one here John Ram this is
important I’d say this is about 5 ft
sliding across the 17th green left to
right looking at that leaderboard away
to the right hand side just those
Sheffer numbers going up in the red one
two it nothing gone down seems so
inevitable in a way but it’s not easy to
play with that pressure of being the red
hot favorite in the world number one
he’s just absolutely magnificent at the
moment John Ram was truly magnificent
here last year and it earned him a green
jacket this one to keep him himself at
one under par on its way he’s going to
miss on the right as soon as that left
the blade we were right behind it just
sliding by on the right he’s missed it
drop shot for Ram so he drops back to
level par the other thing whil they’re
10 Deep around the seventh green they’re
five deep round the eighth T and there’s
nothing going on on the eighth T at the
moment they’re just waiting for tiger on
the eighth T and they could literally
all of them turn around and watch what’s
going on on the 70th they don’t have to
move they could just turn round watch
what’s going on on 17th and then turn
back to the te Mark you wanted news of M
t- shot he’s just tugged it left so
whether or not he’s going to be blocked
out for that shock second shot on 17 but
he’s missed the Fairway down the left
hand side and the ball’s coming to come
to rest in the pine straw that surrounds
the base of one of those Tall Pine trees
as well Ron bogy back to level PA it’s
Patrick bogy back to two underpar Dunlap
bogy out to three over par very
underwhelming on this hole um cat on
15 yeah well Windam Clark who’s been
going along quite nicely at two underp
found a bit of trouble down the left
hand side with his t-shot had to almost
putt out the ball didn’t leave the grass
it just came skidding out over the
surface of the grass almost as though he
he’d hit it with the flat stick and now
he’s about about 120 yards out from the
green on the down slope looking to fly
this over the water couple of Skips
stick on the backspin and he’s gone
right right at the pin with this one
absolutely beautiful o but some really
Fierce Back Spin and this could go in
the water listen to the crowd listen to
the crowd can it put on the brakes in
time no it hasn’t it’s gone for a swim
with the terrains who are all under the
water as the the wind has dropped and
the temperature has risen here I can see
a little a little terapin face has
disappeared below the surface of the
water about 3 yards away from where
Windam Clark’s ball sunk beneath the
murky depths there Andrew mate now what
do you do do you drop it in the same
place I think you move up a little bit
and try to take some of that spinoff I I
believe again that was a a t-shot
problem there he got behind the left
trees didn’t he couldn’t punch it down
the Fairway much further than he did he
is walking
closer um keeping that point between him
and the hole he is oh he’s calling for
an official now to make sure he’s doing
the right thing because that’s what you
do these days the rules are ever
changing and Windam Clark needs some
consultation no maybe he’s pushing the
guy he was starting to walk out or is
hin going to play from the way back
right of the green there and it was a
really interesting second shot from
Victor hovland as well he was right at
the top of the hill hadn’t got much
distance with the drive I wonder if that
was a choice from hin he was down the
left hand side as well but he gave it a
mighty lash with whatever it was he hit
from he so far away we couldn’t see him
through the trees and the ball came out
really long and low and flew through the
back of the green he’s almost up against
the the grand stand that’s over the far
side of the green just below that big
white leaderboard Over The Far Side of
the 15th green and he’s in he’s in a big
square of Shade that’s cast by the green
TV tower standing in his dark trousers
that dark T-shirt with the big splash of
pink aelia across the chest and hland is
about to play so he’s just going a
little bump and run here into the slope
the up slope of the green now catching
that down slope as it tracks towards the
pin and that is devilishly difficult
shot and it is getting better and better
and better and the crowd showing their
appreciation for that listen to the
Applause for Victor hin and that was
lovely as you kept saying so nervy to
come in low like that I’m thinking I’m
going to go up high and try to spin it
and flight on the green and hopefully it
stops before it goes in the water and he
said this is kind of touch this young
Norwegian has with a low Runner
beautiful shot below the hole for birdie
from 8 ft coming up Windam Clark
Consulting now he’s looking at oh he’s
all the way down here near the Drop Zone
in the drop he is he going to go drop
zone yeah he’s standing in the black
circle beneath the pine tree that’s
smattered with pine straw he’s calling
his his cadd over he’s going to go for
the drop zone that’s because he doesn’t
want to spin it back in the water again
and this is going to take the spin off
the ball getting this close to the green
but this is No Easy Shot coming up is
still is he still talking C who Andrew
McGee no no no he’s still talking he’s
still talking to the rules official is
Clark still talking the rules no the
rules official is is clearing off cuz
we’ve got Sheffer coming in we got
coming into Windham Clark doesn’t even
have a ball to play yet so that’s why
he’s beckering its caddy over always a
problem in gol H Scotty sheff does it’s
It’s At His Feet he’s standing tall over
it he’s in the middle of the 17th
Fairway of course he is he’s six under
par for the Masters one shot off the
lead held by Bryson Des shano it’s on
its way to the 17th green and it has
landed short right of the flag but it’s
in a beautiful spot 12T that’s the fits
Patrick P we saw saw him leave a couple
of feet short moments or so ago but it
is just te to Fairway Fairway to Green
give yourself the birdie chances knock
him in don’t drop any shots Scotty
Sheffer is um he’s he’s just turned up
and playing brilliantly again that’s it
not a not a drop shot as as we said
earlier you know he parred the first
birded the second he birded the six he
then birded 12 he birded 13 He birded 15
he birded 16
and he has serenely plotted his way
around this golf course with the
swirling Breeze at different points of
the course and it is a stiff breeze here
on 17 that woman’s keeping her hat on
her head again with that with that right
hand it it could go at any minute she
needs some ear muffs to hold that that
was amazing I saw that earlier on today
but the other thing and the point you
just made to me Mark off air there’s no
one here watching this because they’re
all watching Tiger Woods Scotty Sheffer
world number one hot favorite for the
Masters playing alongside Rory maroy the
grand stand’s half empty and this is
maroy yeah yeah maroy shot on its way oh
that comes skedaddling through the left
hand side of the green and that ball
disappears from our view that will have
actually gone beyond the ropes in
amongst the legs of the spectators it
sto short of that it stop short of the
the rope and it’s not where the
spectators are but he’s you know roughly
from this side of the green to where zat
Taurus was on the other side of the
green away from the flight yeah and it’s
it’s that really difficult chip we keep
describing so that really steep slope uh
in front of him very little green to
work with cuz the flag is the PIN is cut
right at the back of this green so it’s
going to be fun to watch Rory mroy
attempt this he’s fought back well after
a difficult start today two under par
for the Masters at the moment but that
is going to be a real challenge for him
and it’s the difference isn’t it Sheffer
is causing himself no stress because
he’s not putting himself in difficult
spots that that kind of shot to try and
get up and down from there I think I
mean even for a goal for of mroy caliber
Mark that that is probably a one in 10 2
in 10 chance that’s really going to test
him here with it also blowing a hulie as
we were saying earlier let’s find out if
Windam Clark has been given a ball he
has he’s had his ball and he’s hit it
and that was a fourth shot for Windam
Clark after going in the water so the
penalty drop into the Drop Zone and he’s
put himself a good 25 ft or so past the
hole to save his PA putting for bogy
he’s putting for bogy he was in and
three out and four hitting five now
putting for six yeah cuz he had to hit
that flat shot out of the trees didn’t
he so i’ lost track of the the the shots
that Windam Clark has hit on this par
five that is an eagle opportunity for
cam Smith just coming up a couple of
feet to be a birdie for the former open
Champion he’ll move into the red figures
at one undera but what I’m really
interested in is how Windom Clark deals
with this because he’s playing in his
first ever Masters he’s tackling Augusta
National for the first time and he’s
finding himself in a spot of bother for
the first time well he’s tackling his
demons which we’ve all seen the Netflix
show he’s now seeing a psychologist and
he was totally adamant about not seeing
a psychologist and he ended up doing it
and it’s really helped his mental game
and he is staying calm he knows this is
not the end of the world it’s the first
round even if he makes a double here
he’ll still be even par with a chance
for biry on 16 so the bogey part is
about 25 ft and it’s from that higher
side of the hole coming back down
towards the Water Into The Wind so help
a little bit there to to save it from
the murky depths into which his first
ball fell but Windam clar just standing
over this bogey pot now can he limit the
damage here on the 15th to just the one
drop shot on towards the hole now it’s a
really good effort but no it’s going to
be two Drop shots for Windam Clark on
the 15th and the US Open Champion is
back to level past seven off the lead
Mark a big shot for Rory here on 17
almost an impossible shot for an
ordinary golfer Rory maroy is not an
ordinary golfer bumps it into the slope
hits the back of the green but goes
speeding past the left hand edge of the
hole is so so difficult that shot to
stop it anywhere near the flag and it
rolls on and on and on towards the front
right portion of the green so I would
say that’s maybe 18 ft or so for maroy
to try and save his pass Scotty Sheffer
from 12 ft has a birdie putt to come to
get himself into a share of the lead
alongside Bryson Des Shambo and as soon
as maroy saw that ball end up there he
knew how difficult it was going to be it
it’s trying to hit that shot into the
slope to kill the bounce to then sort of
trickle the ball onto the green and cozy
it up to the hole it it is so difficult
meanwhile Scotty Sheffer just lines up
his putt a little bit Waggles his knees
Waggles his putter just stands there a
man at peace crosses his legs leans on
his putter uh and watches his two
playing Partners in Xander chof and Rory
mroy who will both have to go again
before it is the world number one’s turn
and still 10 Deep away to our right hand
side perfect view here of where it’s got
to be I mean we can’t see Tiger Woods
but that is I’m sure that is Tiger Woods
in amongst that absolute scrum thousands
hundreds and thousands well not hundreds
and thousands but looks like hundreds
and thousands like sprinkles you put on
the old ice cream of the custard all
sprinkled around multicolored uh around
the E we’re looking at the action on the
17th green Xander shl is level PA for
his round today this this is I mean
they’re all tricky on this green this is
a long long 35-footer from the left hand
side of the green and he’s going through
the putting routine and he looks like
he’s going to give it a real Biff and I
think you’ve got to from this side of
the green relatively short man sander
chule and the tall yellow flag stick
with that bright yellow flag the map of
the USA and the the flag plumped in the
uh position of Georgia on the map he’s
being tugged furiously uh at the moment
he was about to step up to the Putt and
hit it he stepped back again he’s gone
for three or four more practice struges
and I think it’s that thing Mark of
trying to tell yourself I’ve got to hit
this I’ve got to hit this then your
brain’s saying this looks really quick
surely I don’t have to hit as hard as
this so let’s see if he gives it
enough Shuffle looks like he has given
enough looks really good turning from
left to right fabulous but oh it might
drop in on the very last roll no it
doesn’t it cruy just Parks itself right
on the edge of the hole all those
practice strokes Worth It Fabulous Putt
and he’s he he’s made a really good
two-p par to keep himself at level par
it’s probably the best put we’ve seen
here is it yeah Ben AR Ben AR from from
from exactly the same position actually
lipped out from about that range right
hand edge of the hole but that one was
going a little bit quicker Sha’s one
there was just about to die and topple
into the hole right Mr maroy what have
you got for us here missed the Fairway
to the left of the 17th he’s currently
two under par for the Masters so five
shots off the lead and knowing the
charges he can make around this golf
course absolutely by no means out of it
but Scotty sheffler who is playing
alongside currently at 6 under par with
a 12T birdie putt to come is really
showing him how it’s done so I’d say
about 18 ft here for maroy from the
right hand edge of the 17th green taking
his time going through the familiar
routine stands directly behind the ball
about three or four yards behind it
couple of practice strokes he’s not been
taking too long over these white shirt
just being tugged by the breeze tightly
tucked into the Lilac trousers maroy has
two looks at the hole poter head goes
back sends it on its way has he given it
enough everyone has been fooled by that
they do not give it enough that pu from
the right towards the pin drop shot for
maoy so he will go back to one underp
and now Scotty sheffer’s turn to to take
center stage and also the other thing
now there Mark he’s seen the maai part
pretty much on a similar line seen that
he didn’t quite give it enough and you
I’ve just got I’ve just got a feeling
he’s going to learn from that and just
say Bonk thank you very much let’s have
another birdie just before he hits the
part what news of zalatoris he in he is
finished with bogy so a bogy bogy finish
and he’s signing for a two underp pass
70 alley okay thank you Scotty Sheffer
I’m just checking the numbers on the
leaderboard Birdie the 15th Birdie the
16th to get to six under par this for a
third consecutive birdie to get himself
into a share of the lead golf seems a
very easy game for this man at the
moment tall figure Shadow stretches out
long in front of him settles himself
over the P 12-footer little bit of right
to left across the 17th green Shore
strike from Sheffer but doesn’t give it
enough and he’s made exactly the same
mistake he’s human but it’s a nice cozy
comfortable par and he stays at six
underpar one shot off the lead with a
Hal to play Let’s go back to cat and
Andrew we’ve had all three t- shots on
the par 36 16 for Victor hovland for
Windam Clark and for cam Smith the best
of them is Victor hovland into within 6
feet of the pin or so cam Smith about 10
ft but Windam clock with a bit of a
miscue Andrew yeah I think that’s what
happens when you make a double buy the
hole before you just your mind’s just
not right and he’s he’s hit his eight
iron to you know 40 ft right of this
hole which is a really really difficult
fast putt coming down that hill so he
needs to grind this out to finish this
round but
yeah he had something going early his
head is down I can see him walking at
last person walking along the banks of
this big black Pond to the left here
yeah he needs to gather himself and get
ready to go tomorrow I don’t know if
it’s a bad Omen for Victor hovland mark
But as he was lining up his birdie putt
on the 15th scen which he did Miss he
had to just settle for a par on the 15th
his name blew off the leaderboard in a
in a swirl of wind and disappeared out
of view which just I just thought was a
really bad piece of luck for him and uh
yeah we we lost Victor Holland’s name
for a while he’s walking down the 16th
now he got a big bag of snacks in his
hand and he’s looking as as genial as he
always is well just coming on to our
leaderboard is Max Homer who is too
under having gone through seven and the
only reason I mentioned that is because
if you looked at the five life Sports
social feeds Max Homer is The Pick of
Trish Johnson I think to win this year’s
Masters that’s right Ian isn’t it think
she P Max Homer uh I think she did yes
yeah so um yeah and and someone who who
hasn’t punched his weight in the majors
um really for the other success that
he’s enjoyed in his career very very
good in the Ridder Cup first major since
the Ryder Cup so maybe this is the time
for for Homer to start making an
impression should tell you that um turl
Hatton has got to two under par Matt
Fitzpatrick has played his second shot
into to the 18th he’s at two under par
but he’s gone way way through the back
of the green and I’m watching now as
Scotty Sheffer fires his t-shot on 18
and it’s up into the bunker down the
left hand side Sandy L’s bunker the
first one down that left hand side so
into the sand for Scotty Sheffer who’s
currently at six underpar and needing a
birdie at the last to match the opening
round of Bryson deshambo our leader
round in 65 at seven under
par going to just let you give you a
couple of other notables because ludig
OB has got into the red figures he’s at
one under par John Rams got a chance of
30d on 18 he’s played up into the heart
of the green and Tiger Woods and Tommy
Fleetwood there all at level par Shane
Lowry is at one over par Tommy was the
one I was going to Men actually so he’s
level through how many because through
five five straight passs to start and in
fact I can see him now on one of my
screens playing his t-shot into the
sixth and finding the heart of the green
but uh with a long birdie putt to come
from there so what do we think then five
past six and the final group are on the
fifth um Tiger’s just gone just on the
eighth T is he is he gone down eight yet
I don’t think he’s gone down nobody’s
nobody’s moved um so he’s on eight so
what will Tiger get around Amen Corner
probably you would have thought we got
another 90 minutes yeah I think Sunset
is around
7:57 local time so they’ll push it as
close to that as they can I would have
thought um so yeah it should get round
aen Corner uh definitely tig with which
which means John Murray and Trish
Johnson your work is not done we were
having a similar conversation and and we
are you trying to knock off
early we we no we reckon Trish and I
that um that the the the groups will
just about get through here won’t they
today yeah reckon just yeah should just
make it through 11 and whether or not
you want to hit your t-shirt on 12 in
the dark I’m not so sure but there again
whether you want to hit it first thing
tomorrow morning but i’ rather be able
to see to be fa that’s a very good point
Trey good one and um we we’ve had a
number of groups uh Mark who’ve come
through Amen Corner in front of us here
no one really doing anything spectacular
and and right now just watching just
Rose who uh who left a par put on the
11th from round about 12 ft just short
so a dropped shot for Justin Rose runner
up twice here at the Masters but he is
three over as he stands on the on the
12th team right now how are your crowds
at the moment uh thin yeah pretty thin
the odd hat blowing off here as well um
but uh but but I mean it’s quite unusual
isn’t it for us to be sitting here at at
this time because of the delay this
morning watching
the uh the the the players of the
standard that we are yeah I mean look we
often talk about we often talk about
this big names go out the last couple of
groups always at the Masters and every
year we we we still seem to get
surprised by the fact that nobody seems
to watch the last couple of groups and
there’ have been some big names in those
final groups over the years here at the
Masters but all the crowds all the
crowds at the moment are just following
tiger who is on the E and the rest the
rest of them are are carrying minimal
crowds with them because tiger is out on
the course Ian mat Patrick chipping at
the back of the 18th and that’s just
slightly clumsy it’s taken the slope and
it’s just trundled down and he’s got a
real tester now probably 18 20 ft up the
hill borrowing from left to right to
avoid a bogey bogey finish such a
promising round for Fitz Patrick four
under after 13 holes it looks very much
as though he may have to settle for a
one under under par 71 so real
frustration for him there of course John
Ram is on that 18th green as well and
I’ve got sight of him just missing with
his birdie attempt so the defending
Champion is just going to knock this in
from just a couple of inches there we go
it’s a part to finish for John RAM and
that is not a par in fact it’s a bogey a
bogey bogey finish for him as well so
the Spaniard one overp part 73 to day at
the start of his defense of the green
jacket and he folds his arms and he
shakes his head and he mutters to
himself and it’s pretty pretty hostile
words I think you are you I mean after
you interviewed him I know there was the
discussion about how amazing his English
is and which is you know Spanish is his
first language but he is I mean he is
fluent in English are those words in
Spanish or English difficult to say I’m
just judging by the body
language and the way that he’s uh the
way that he was uh admonishing himself
what what was I mean Andrew called it
sloy uh his golf it’s just a really
inconsistent scorecard and it’s not the
kind of golf that we would come to uh
associate with John RAM and if he
doesn’t win this week then that’s over a
year since his last victory when you
think how dominant he was at this time
last year it’s interesting despite
double bogey in the first last year his
opening round was a
65 and today his open round is a 73 news
of Victor hovland’s Birdie on 16 cat
Julie sunk for the Norwegian so Victor
hovland heads to the 17th at one
underpar two underpar I should say after
that Birdie on the 16th and off he goes
two holes left to play tied for seventh
last year Victor hin so he has some
pedigree around this course could he be
uh someone to sneak up on Bryson Des
Shambo over the next 3 days but off he
goes to the 7 with a birdie in his back
pocket at 200 under par Andrew McGee
should we be surprised by John Ram
73 he he just didn’t have it I mean his
face he didn’t he didn’t look like he
was really into it I mean maybe he’s got
450 million reasons why he’s not into it
but um he he just looked almost
disinterested a little bit or waiting or
being patient or whatever they want to
call it um but he didn’t drive it well
he was in the right he was in the right
trees quite often and so he’s over over
cutting the shots and cuz he’s a pretty
hard fader a hard
slicer that’s how he plays so um yeah
I’m I’m not inspired At All by John R
how’s Fitzpatrick going to close out in
here he is this is for a bogey from 3
feet and he knocks it into the middle of
the cut came up short with his par
attempt it’s a bogey bogey finish indeed
three Drop shots in his last five holes
after hitting that high point at the
13th of being four underpar it’s a one
under pass 71 for for Matt Fitzpatrick
patience is going to be the order of the
day but that is going to be difficult to
maintain for these players who lie in
the way in particular of Scotty Sheffer
yes Bryson Des Shambo is a major winner
and he is one shot better off as it
stands from Sheffer but sheffer’s
commanding position here is going to
potentially apply an awful lot of
scoreboard pressure from the off here
and players who are trying to play that
patient game are going to really have to
stick to their their guns on that and it
won’t be easy here is Sheffer now he’s
in the bunker on the 18th second shot
here on the par 4 up the hill fires away
High trajectory looking to find the
putting surface and just finds the very
front of the green and the ball is just
tiptoeing backwards and he’s looking
alarmed is that’s not going to tiptoe
off the green he’s saying and he watches
and he goes no it’s not it’s stopped and
I think it has stopped and if it has
stopped then he has got a putt of well
23 of the 24 yards that that flag is cut
onto the green and the flag is
absolutely whistling in the wind Rory
maroy is also driven into the sand but
he’s in the next bunker along the second
of those
bunkers and maroy needs to make sure he
makes no mistake on this 18th this is
his his second
shot the Shadows of the trees just
playing in the it’s not a breeze it’s a
wind in front of him he’s oblivious to
that he’s hitting from the brilliant
white sand this one’s on a left hand
trajectory and he wants it to sit
because it bounds off the very firm
putting surface careers into a couple of
Spectators sitting in the front row
behind the green and bouncing back into
the moan area and they did him a huge
favor there so through the back of the
green mooy needs to get up and down to
post a underpar round of
71 it probably Ian highlights the
conditions out here over the last hour
particularly for those coming down 17
and 18 but we’ve we’ve seen several of
them who might have thought they could
have got within maybe two three of dambo
or Sheffer you know I’m thinking
Fitzpatrick I’m thinking zalot Taurus
I’m thinking um R really I’m thinking
mooy as well who it probably highlights
one how difficult 17 and 18 of playing
in the wind secondly just how imperious
Scotty Sheffer is absolutely because he
is he is able to get through these very
very difficult conditions while everyone
else is really struggling with their
distance control the wind is is
obviously fluctuating but it to to my
eyes what I’m seeing here it is blowing
hard harder and harder as this day goes
on so those who teed off earlier
certainly got a big big break and it’s a
real battle for those out on the course
uh Kat and Andrew what have you got
where you are at the moment very little
at the moment we’ve just been plunged
into the shade as well the sun has sunk
behind that big Bank of Magnolias and
pine trees along the leftand edge of the
16th and all of a sudden the sunshine
has been switched off it’s been baking
the back of my neck for the last few
hours and the 16th now complet
completely in the shade Long Shadows
cast Over the green on the 15th the pin
hanging absolutely limp as we uh look up
the the the Fairway and back up into the
sunshine back out into the brightness to
see Cameo Vias and Denny McCarthy and
Cam Davis appearing at at the top of the
hill so another lull if you like our our
grand stand is emptying out at the
moment lots and lots of empty green
seats as we await the next trunch of
those box office names of Tiger Woods
and SC Brian Harman Jordan speal coming
later on in the day asking for a friend
who may have Danny McCarthy in a sweep
stake what what’s he on at the moment
he’s one over par at the moment Danny
mcarthy yeah so you know you could just
get a message to him from my that same
friend to get a Riggle on that we’ll
give him a whisper when he reaches the
15th just to say Mark the players have
arrived at the uh 18th and someone who
is in the prox near proximity to those
players Sheffer and M Roy is tyell
Hatton because he’s on the ninth green
he’s just hit a wonderful approach in
there should make his birdie and that
would take the Englishman to three under
pass so he’s going along very very
nicely and hugely significant these
Majors for Hatton now that he’s on the
Liv tour and it’s the only route to the
world ranking points that he needs to
ensure his major status for next year so
Hatton going nicely we’re concentrating
on 18 here we don’t have a shot imminent
okay well have shots coming into the
17th green myself and Ali and we are
bathed in sunshine once again so we’ve
got Windam Clark who’s level cam Smith
who’s one under and Victor hind who is
two under just quickly on the sweep
state was Denny McCarthy the name that
came out of the bottom of Andrew
cotter’s pocket that you weren’t very
happy about uh no I think that was I I
mean no I mean there were there were
several imperfections with the sweep
steak but Denny McCarthy actually picked
out of the right receptacle uh it was
one of the others that came out of
Andrew his pocket yeah it says the man
who’s got John RAM and Brooks keer in
the sweep’s they not doing me much good
at the moment you oh here’s he in sorry
we do have a shot now and it’s from the
world number one and the favorite and
the wind is just tugging away at his
gray shirt bearded figure tall figure
Scotty Sheffer beneath the White Cap now
addresses the ball the lone Leaf just
blows across the green right onto his
line and so he backs off and then he
comes back forward and addresses the
ball long long putt 75 ft here the flag
fluttering
animatedly brilliant yellow as they
always are at auguster as the ball
climbs up the hill up towards the flag
beautifully judged for Pace left out to
the right little tester to finish to
make sure of a 66 for Sheffer he’s got 4
and 1/2 ft after that putt for birdie
from the very front edge of the putting
C
Sur well back on the 17th cam Smith uh
has a few problems open Champion a
couple of years ago when he Pi Rory mroy
at St Andrews one under par uh for his
third Master’s appearance here no in
fact he’s is that right or wrong I don’t
you going have to look that up now Mark
but I do know no he’s he’s played it
more than that but he’s had he’s had a
couple of top five finishes he’s missed
the green to the leftand side hav gone
way right with the driver uh off the
17th T Ian back to you Rory melroy just
flicking a couple of Rogue leaves away
from the ball that sits beyond the green
here and he is chipping from well off
the putting surface looks to have made
good contact the ball very controlled
comes up towards the hole side beautiful
stuff from mroy and he’ll be able to tap
in and make sure that he goes into the
second round in the red numbers part of
his game that is so seriously
underestimated but he has wonderful
touch around the greens and we saw it
there with a magnificent chip right we
got our fact straight on cam Smith the
Australian who is now marching onto the
17th green who’s finished second third
and fifth at the Masters he is always a
form horse here very recognizable with
the long mullet long straggly hair
poking out of the back of the white
baseball camp a horseshoe of Spectators
had to form around him away to the right
hand side of that 17th Fairway there was
no way he could actually get the ball
onto the green couldn’t even sort of
fade it slice it hard enough to to bend
it from uh from from left to right to
get it onto the 17th green so he’s got
an interesting pitch shot here uh from
the left of the green because he’s got
to he’s got to flop it over uh the
bunker that guards the front left of the
green got plenty of green to work with
then to work it up towards the hole
Victor hovland the Norwegian two under
par four under at the turn has dropped a
couple of shots on the back nine he’s
got a little bump and run pitch shot for
for him not always the uh the greatest
strength of his game a challenging one
from behind the green away to the left
hand side and Windam Clark US Open
Champion we heard his troubles on the
par 515th level par his ball safely on
the putting surface so cam Smith first
to go hair fluttering in the breeze
slowly pulls the club head back bounces
it once twice three times and it skids
to a halt couple of feet beyond the hole
glorious skills from cam Smith so I’d
say about a three-footer for par for
Smith to stay at one underpar let’s see
what hland can do with this very lofted
Club face here from holand jet black
trousers jet black back uh to the polo
shirt but as he turns towards us after
he’s just gone up and had a look at the
putting surface you’ll see on the front
of that a real sort of splash of orange
pink on the front of the polo shirt
twizzles the uh the club a couple of
times in his hand and goes marching back
down to the bottom of the slope just to
the left of this 17th green dambo 7
under Scotty Sheffer closest Challenger
great first round opening round of the
masters from Scotty Sheffer Ian Carter
waiting for us watching the action
Victor hland about to play here hland
just settles over this third shot back
at the 17th green Waggles the club
couple of times looks again towards the
hole on its way towards the hole beyond
the hole and he’s going to leave himself
a good 10 ft in Scotty Sheffer knocks it
in for his par almost with nonchalance
but it was a tester it was from 4 and a
half feet the cap comes from his head
revealing that dark shock of hair he
shakes hands with Xander chaule and what
a brilliant brilliant start to his quest
for a second Master’s Green Jacket a six
underp pass 66 for Scotty Sheffer and
it’s a one underpar 71 for Rory mroy he
shakes hands with his playing Partners a
frustrating day for mroy three Bogies in
there four 30s and a 71 for him but
really the danger man is the man that we
identified way way out the winner of The
Players Championship the winner at Bay
Hill the Undisputed world number one
that was a 66 that could have been a lot
lower because he created so many
opportunities Scotty Sheffer he took his
fair share No Drop shots six birdies 66
and within a shot of the lead as he
Lopes off to the recorders Hut with a
very very very contented look on his
face um it couldn’t have gone much
better for him could it really no I mean
that’s just absolutely perfect no drop
shot no Drop shots uh stressfree golf
all the way round and just doing what he
has done basically throughout the
golfing year so far and that is make the
game look ridiculously easy and his
record this year then tournament wise of
of what he’s won well he’s won the
PLAYERS Championship which is the
biggest title to date so far uh he has
uh won at Bay Hill which was the um was
the the toughest golf setup of the year
so far so you know those are two massive
titles that he’s had he very nearly won
in Houston where he would finished in a
tight for second place uh as well as a
string of high finishes the Phoenix Open
he was third the P Pebble Beach proam he
was sixth fifth at the the senty which
was the first tournament of the year
that off the back of winning the uh Hero
World Challenge in Bermuda at the end of
last year I mean he is just such a
dominant figure right now and um you
know it’s everything is trending towards
a second Green Jacket because he just
doesn’t seem to have an off week does he
I mean you know if he’s not winning it
he’s there or thereabouts we’ talked
about this a lot on the on the chipping
forecast with Eddie peppel and and
Andrew Cotter and and basically the
Mantra that we find ourselves saying
every week on the podcast is if he putts
well he wins by a mile if he putts
average he wins but he might have to
just sweat a little bit and if his
putting is right off then that offers
the chance to to the rest of the the
field and that is the one area of his
game that isn’t at quite the elite
standard that the rest of his game is
and it’s almost exposed because the
quality of the ball striking creates so
many birdy opportunities that you think
oh if only this guy could putt well
that’s a very kind of naive way of
looking at the package the golfing
package that is Scotty Sheffer and if
you think back to players like Colin
Montgomery and Lee Westwood who were
always known for hitting Fairways and
greens and you always said oh their
putting just lets them down a little bit
well Elevate that a little further in
terms of the class of everything and
then you arrive at Scotty Sheffer and if
he putts half decent over the next three
days you know I hate writing off
tournaments very very early on and let’s
face it there is a man ahead of him on
the leaderboard already who is a major
winner but I can’t help feeling inside
you know that he could win this by a
distance given the evidence of what
we’ve seen today and what we’ve seen in
the season so far well another one of
the chasing back pack has fallen back
Victor holand stopped stomped off 17 not
the first won’t be the last to bog it
yeah missed the green to the back of the
back left left himself 10t with the chip
left the putt short they all have so
that was a bogey five for hin drops back
from two under to one under par
entertaining par though from cam Smith
sprayed the driver way right at the
Fairway came out from that sort of um
screen of trees away to the right hand
side flopped the Chip Shot over the
bunker skidded it to a halt knocked in a
two-footer for a par very entertaining
so cam Smith uh remains at one under par
Windam Clark with his par stays at level
par I think you and me may be the only
ones left in this grand stand within
half an hour’s time uh cat how many are
around you I can well probably count
them on my two hands and Andrew McGee’s
two hands we could probably uh yeah
they’re all enjoying a bit of an evening
drink and there’s a real kind of evening
golf feel to it down here on the 15th
Golden Light bathing the fairways these
Long Shadows the wind just beginning to
pick up the trees beginning to dance in
the breeze once again and and Cam Davis
I’m just looking at the Australian here
he we haven’t talked about him very much
today but he’s been ticking along nicely
two under par and he had a really good
chance of an eagle here having put his
second shot right on the front edge of
the green here at the par five 15th he’s
cozied his Eagle pot up to the hold to
within a couple of feet so he will have
a birdie putt coming up very shortly to
move to three under pass so within five
of the lead of Bryson dambo but it’s
getting well as nippy as it has in the
last kind of five hours or so hasn’t
Andre the wind has dropped there’s
ripples Fanning now across the the
surface of the Lakes the sun just about
peeking through the topmost branches of
the trees to kind of light up the
fairways but feels like it’s time for a
Sundowner yes that sounds about right
and the clouds are looking back behind
us they’re kind of picking up I know
it’s supposed to be windy all evening
and into tomorrow and all afternoon so
we can expect the same kind of blustery
conditions tomorrow which is which is
good for the Chasers you know they want
a tough day to maybe slow down some of
these leaders I’m not how you slow
Scotty Sheffer down I have no idea how
you do that Cam Davis will be amongst
those Chasers the Australian the 29
year-old from Sydney just sliding in
that birdie putt from about 3 feet so he
moves to three underpar as he heads to
the 16th with three holes left to play
but I’m just eyeing up one of those are
they called aelas those pink cocktails
there a group of men here all with them
in their hands they’ve got those love
lovely frosting on the outside of the
glass where the ice cubes have cooled
everything down in the heat got my mouth
around one of those Mark do you uh do
you you talk about the temperature
slightly dropping do you wish you’d
brought those pajama bottoms out with
you that you bought earlier in the in
the shop here to put on over your shorts
listen you’ve all been very rude about
my new pajama bottoms but they’ve
already been very useful today as John
Murray will attest as we were walking
down the second there were some pink
flowers on a tree and we said I wonder
what I wonder what pink flowers they are
I wonder what and they’re referenced on
your pajama bottoms my pajama bottoms
have a picture of the flower of every
hole on the golf course so I was able to
whip out my pajama bottoms and look at
they were pink dog woods so they’ve
already proved incredibly useful and I
won’t I won’t hear them sniffed up who
who who would have guessed that pajama
bottoms would be such a factual source
of it a useful reference tool yes
absolutely so so in terms of this sort
of house we’re staying at the moment
there there’s a set of Arsenal pajamas
aren’t there there’s now a set of Master
pajamas so John Murray’s pajamas what’s
what’s he got this week do you know
probably forgotten them I I would
imagine that they’re sort of sort of
1970s
flannel would you not imagine it is sort
of a cross between what morom and wives
used to wear and ber and
Ernie um let’s hear from uh from the
leader shall we and and one would assume
that he will be the overnight leader on
7 under he has a onot lead from Scotty
shefer here’s Bry and Des Shambo It’s
been a a journey to say the least one
that I have uh thoroughly enjoyed but
also it’s taken a big toll on me uh in
numerous situations I will say that I’ve
learned a lot from it and a lot of it
was things that weren’t really in my
control at that point in time and I
won’t go into it but I’m in a place now
where I’ve figured some stuff out with
my golf game golf swing I’m just in a
comfortable place where I’m doing the
same thing every single week so I feel
like it’s just ingraining consistently
over the course of time I’m not trying
new things I’m not doing new things I’m
just doing more of the same and I feel
like that’s that’s really what’s um been
different from the you know a couple
years ago to now like I’m just doing the
same thing every single day in and day
out I’m not trying something new to I’m
trying to figure something out um and
that’s what I feel like is just
accumulated into playing some really
good
golf some really interesting stuff there
from Bryson to Shambo which we’ll pick
up with Andrew McGee and Trish Johnson
but I know John Murray has a Nikolai
hoard birdie opportunity which he has
hauled from two feet only 2 feet at the
11th I think that’s the best shot we’ve
seen hit in here today to the 11th and
he’s rolled it in this is the Dane uh
who you’ll remember from the ryer cup
this is his master’s debut who’s one of
Luke Donald’s picks actually uh for the
rider Cup in Italy he’s the one with the
twin brother Rasmus uh as we as we
discussed very much uh when we were in
Italy and he is having a very good debut
here at the Augusta National and he’s on
the 12th team now uh and he is now um
what did I say was three under pass so
he’s three under par what a what a what
an opening 12 11 HS that is to his first
Masters uh Trish Johnson alongside John
Murray just just going back to what
Bryson Des Shambo said there I thought
you know he’s not trying anything new
he’s not chasing anything he knows where
he’s games at he’s doing the same thing
week in week out you know you go back
three or four years with him
and he and he was a fascinating
interviewer and I still say that to this
day one of the most fascinating Sports
people I’ve ever interviewed but at that
stage I mean he was trying absolutely
anything and everything yeah he was
trying everything to just have that sort
of you know um just that bit more than
everybody else absolutely that the edge
just and and actually you know he was
hitting it even when he first came out
on Tor he was hitting it so far uh he
really it was almost as so he didn’t
really need to do I don’t know you know
it was almost like he was doing it for
effect more than actually um anything
else uh he hid it far enough but now he
sounds look he’s he’s matured hasn’t he
let’s be fair I think I think that’s the
whole point especially with young
golfers they you know they can it’s like
his his comment here after one round
here that you know or in the practice
round that it’s a par 68 for him well
not a good comment he’s always going to
come back and bite you but now he just
sounds as though he has respect for the
golf course he has has respect for the
tournament uh he’s obviously in a really
good place mentally his game is in a
good place and yeah you know if he it’s
it’s great being seven under but if I
had Sher behind me one shot behind me I
think I’d have a sleepless night to be
honest yeah I’ll come back to Sheffer in
a minute but you made the point Ian
earlier this evening during the
commentary and talking about D Shambo is
that along with you know for all the
noise around live for all for all that
we criticize formats and 54 holes and
this that and the other for for dambo
and for kka actually there were there
were other reasons I’m sure there were
financial reasons as well but there were
other reasons as well for them to go
there and maybe the two they are the two
that are benefiting because they thought
that how that is structured whatever the
schedule is etc etc is going to suit
their bodies very much so um both have
had their injury problems and certainly
when kka was making the decision whether
to turn his back on the PGA tour and go
with live the fact that he was given a
N9 figure signing on fee not knowing how
much longer his knee could stand up to
the riggers of professional golf it was
a decision that made absolute sense to
him and of course subsequent to moving
to live He’s regained his Fitness he
nearly won the Masters and he won the US
PGA last year Bryson Des Shambo a little
less so but he’s had as I say fitness
and health issues as well and I suspect
if you remember back to the time when
these contracts were being handed out he
was as big a name as they could get so
he would have been receiving a massive
massive signing on fee in the way that
John Ram has to go there as well and in
the end the the money makes a makes a
huge huge difference but when you’re as
talented as a kka as uh as a a dambo is
is then potentially you can make the
live schedule work for you keep you fit
keep you lightly run and if you have the
means to be able to get yourself tuned
up to to the highest level at the right
time you can then be a big factor in the
majors as well would you agree with that
Trish yeah very much so yeah I think and
here I have to remember as well that he
he is a major Champion it’s not as
though um you know he’s just someone
that’s gone to live and he he’s got that
in him and I I think once you’re a major
champion in the men’s game and you know
you’ve won multiple tournaments anyway
it it is a special feeling when you come
back to a major it’s something that he’s
he’s always got in him and I I actually
remember thinking when he when he went
to live he had massive hand problems
didn’t he he had a huge problem with his
hand and I I really believe that he both
him and kepka as Ian just uh alluded to
thought that their careers really were
winding down cuz they just wouldn’t be
able to keep up with the riggers and and
the work ethic that you need on the PGA
to keep going forward Hy guard’s t- shot
on the 12th by the way Golden Bell has
missed the green to the left uh by by
quite a way actually probably 15 ft and
he’s a little fortunate it didn’t roll
all the way back down into Ray’s Creek
just uh as we were talking about Brooks
kco he Bogi the first today and then he
has parred everything since then and
he’s playing with Brian Harmon they’re
both on our leaderboard here Brian Haron
level par through seven he’s parred
everything as well here yes he has he’s
uh he’s just been steady Eddie all all
the way around I’m just watching Max
Homer who’s uh making real progress and
just hit a wonderful approach into the
ninth he’s playing with Tiger Woods and
at three underpar he’s got a chance to
get to four under and within three of
the lead tyell Hatton at the 10th missed
the green to the left but he’s played a
very nice Chip Shot there he’s left
himself an awkward one down the slope
but it’s only 34 F feet from the cup
he’s currently at three underpart
another live player and going very very
nicely Ty Hatt what hole sorry did you
say ter Hatton all right ter hatton’s on
10 so he he’ll he probably won’t finish
will he he’ll probably he’ll probably be
what 14 15 maybe yeah I would think so
something like that I I mean you’ve got
a better idea you can see the skies how
much more Daylight do you think that we
have I mean alist Bruce balls just
licked his finger and stuck it in the
air and you and you’ve come up with as
an answer I have absolutely no idea I
mean I’m I’m not very good at what
you’re no Thomas shaaker are you I’m not
I’m I’m I’m terrible at judging and even
sort of pace of rounds and trying to do
the mass in my head well I mean Ian you
said just before 8:00 didn’t you is that
right when when 757 I believe yes yeah
but I was just trying to give you a
little Precision yeah cuz precision’s
very important at austa um that’s that’s
the official time for dust well it it is
still I mean it is still light out here
and and good daylight I mean there is
there is plenty of Blue Sky what I would
say day’s got sunglasses on there are
well I keep switching between my normal
glasses and my sunglasses as well I’m at
that age and the um but there are some
heavy clouds around and once once they
block the sun then it does get obviously
it does get considerably darker I Reon
it’s about about well looking at 11 here
cuz these are the holes you wouldn’t
want to play when it gets done I reckon
you got just about just over an hour
about an hour hour and 10 at Max that’s
about it I think no one’s going to want
to play on after that not to make it
fair anyway okay and they’re probably
going 10 what 10 10 minutes a whole 15
minutes or depending on what the hole is
I I suppose uh Max Homer just you you
weren’t with us earlier but he’s your
pick isn’t he Trish he was actually yeah
I was a toss up between
um Clark wasn’t it Windam Clark and Max
Homer and I did I think I did just for
Max homer so three under through eight
he’s just birded the par 5’8 he’s a bit
tasty as Max yeah and he’s on the ninth
and he’s surveying a birdie chance right
now it’ll be Tiger Woods who will be
playing first putting first in this and
actually I just get an observation from
Trish on this with Tiger Woods cuz it
just suddenly struck me you know
everything about his putting stroke is
so so conventional um you know you look
at Scotty Sheffer who’s gone to the the
Mallet style Putter and that’s made a
big difference for him when his
performances on The Greens were holding
him back in in the year but Woods has
got that traditional um sort of ping an
style I know it’s not that that make
that he uses but uh he’s got that but
the other thing that he has is the
narrow grip and so many golfers now have
that thick grip on on the putter but not
for Tiger Woods no and actually when you
think over his whole career he’s never
changed that at all I can’t even
remember him going to an overlap you
know he’s never really changed his grip
whatsoever but I do think funny when we
were talking about him yesterday about
you know could he compete could he
actually get another Green Jacket um the
one thing we sort of maybe alluded to a
bit was his his passing when you watch
when you play so little uh you know
tournament golf what we have seen from
him in his he day he was
exceptional has H guard has hold his
chip from off the left side of the 12th
green what a shot that was uh chipped it
up onto the pudding surface rolled on
rolled on hit the flag dropped in and
that takes him to 4 under so he is he
has birded 11 and 12 the first two holes
sounded like it was celebrated that by
that one other person in the grand stand
with you as
well yeah is that is that the guy who’s
finished fixing the well they’ve been
rewarded for staying around cuz that was
worth seeing so it’s four under the D
sounded like a Danish cheer to me as
well I say TR could finish what you were
saying well just to say I forgot what I
was saying in front of the life me Tiger
Woods is just made we’re talking about
how textbook is putting is he just made
a textbook par on the ninth putt it up
from around about 30 ft and Taps it in
as we now turn our attention to the 10th
tyell Hatton is there big break left to
right on this par and he’s read it to
Perfection and the ball goes into the
cup so a good pass save on the difficult
10th and he continues to go nicely does
tyell Hatton he is at three underpar we
await uh the birdie putt of Max homer
which will be coming up after Jason day
has putted on the nth I was just going
to bring bring in a discussion about Max
Homer again there which he he is playing
in in the same group as tiger and and I
wonder actually as it gets a little bit
darker and a bit colder and we’ve been
talking about you know the crowds are
sparse on certain holes actually for Max
Homer to be in that group with tiger and
all the energy and all the crowds that
are going round with them that’s kind of
what you want Trish isn’t it oh
absolutely I think Max Homer when he saw
his saw the draw at the start of the
week he he’d have been absolutely beside
himself he would have loved that I mean
he’s a top top class player he showed
his metal didn’t he coming down the
stretch that last hole at the Ridder cup
to have to take a drop where he did
which most people didn’t even know he’d
done and still get up and down and try
to have that match um the guy’s just Top
Class everything about him he hasn’t
really got a weakness at all I think
it’s just a matter of time and and being
in that environment with tiger I think
he will thrive in that uh under those
conditions and yeah obviously well he’s
got a a birdie putt to get four under
after nine holes and it’s not easy out
here this afternoon definitely easier in
way easier conditions this morning so if
he gets in at well he’s not going to
finish but you know if he can get
anywhere around about three or four
under I think he’d be delighted adri
Adrian morang here on 17 who is seven
over and I would imagine he’s probably
not in the best of moods really had a
three-foot putt there was that was that
for par and just just at the moment he
was about to pull the putter back uh
Grayson muris Caddy’s green cap flew off
flew off his head went scuttling across
the green right through Adrian Mor’s
High Line Ian if you get a second or
when you get a second I’ve been really
interested to know and I I should have
been keeping a count in fact I probably
can look at my own scoreboard but we’ve
just seen this group here Lee hodg is
great Murray and Adrien [ __ ] pepper the
flag on the 17th I mean no no approach
shot was further than 10t away none of
them have been able to make the birdie
Parts it is such a tricky green this
wherever you put the pin just I mean I
don’t know if you got how many birdies
have been made on the 17th I’ll be able
I’ll be able to get that for you in just
a moment I have to say Jason day has
just held out hold out for his par he is
wearing the baggiest trousers and they
are flapping like sails on a on an
oceangoing yacht
and they are a real thr you remember
when Tiger Woods was in his pump and he
always wore those baggy trousers that
they’re they’re from that era you you
wait until you see them down at Amen
Corner anyway here’s Homer for his
birdie sends it Forward judged
beautifully dead weight the ball
disappears Homer makes his move he goes
to four underpar into a share of third
and within three shots of the leag so
we’ve got Homer on four under and we
have hoard on four under as well who
will be coming down 13 shortly what have
you got in front of you at the moment
John uh we we’ve got Patrick Reed former
Champion one under par uh Kurt kittama
who is also one under par and they’re
playing with the Korean sunji IM who is
three over and he’s been uh he’s been in
trouble here at the 11th as well so um
we’re just watching them playing the 11
Alli I I can tell you only two birdies
on the 17th seventh hard
hole on the course and that’s skewed
somewhat obviously by that extraordinary
second shot from Patrick Klay for the
for the eagle too so you no one is
making birdie putts really what’s what’s
the hardest hole on the course at the
moment hardest hole on the course is 18
uh We’ve not had uh we’ve had one Birdie
on the 18th I’ll try and find out who
that was for you um in just a moment
just one birdie there uh the easiest
hole on the course has been the half
five eth which obviously is downwind
today and there’ have been three eagles
there and 47
birdies um we have just on the uh oh
it’s Danny Willet of course with the
birdie on on 18 dambo was one of the
birdies here on 17 he held that
brilliant P from the back right the
Green in amongst all of this with the
the big names that we’re talking about
and and the conditions and the wind and
how difficult it is gone onto our
leaderboard at the moment is an amateur
is a US amateur Neil Shipley who is two
under having played 14 Trish that is
that is some effort in these conditions
yeah we were just talking about him
actually me and John a little while ago
uh when he was just about to hit his t-
shot into um into 12 uh yeah he’s big
fellow uh he’s yeah young lad um big
hair big lots of hair possibly could do
with a short back and size just just
think just my thoughts um but what up
yeah good swing good looking player um
and you know he’ll be enjoying every
second of this obviously if he can get
it in the clubhouse under par uh that’ll
be a hell of a a start to the tournament
whether he can keep it going or not
that’s a you know very different matter
but what a day for the young fell what a
day and I think those flowing locks are
coming into view
cat I’m not sure he’s really enjoyed his
visit to the 15th for the first time he
justed do you know what he hit an
absolute monster of a second shot it
went behind the grandstand almost on the
far side of the green so he had to drop
all the the the fencing he had to move
the Spectators out of the way his first
attempt to play from behind the grand
stand landed short so he took a a free
drop because he was too close to the
grand stand for his his fourth shot he
he he missed the birdie part the the par
part to save his par so he has dropped a
shot he moves back to to one underpar
but going behind the grand stad I think
he does have a bit of a problem with
navigation he’s been allowed to play
Four practice rounds in the three months
running up to the Masters to bring a
friend he decided to bring his brother
Max and his college coach Jimmy Beck
they weren’t allowed to play they just
had to walk alongside him which seems a
little bit mean anyway they drove down
Magnolia Lane and they didn’t know where
to go so they just went round and round
roundabout until someone came out and
told them where to
park brilliant brilliant he’s from Ohio
State as well so it might be that time
of the night where we asked John to
guess what what they’re called if you go
to Ohio State uh
the TR to tell me the Ohio I thought you
was going to say
I was trying to lip read what you were
saying it look like o
octopuses cat the answer the Ohio State
Buckey yeah not one you want to rip lip
read badly I was going to say you could
have misread that Lip lip read in in all
sorts of different way so thank goodness
you went with
octopus is he better better book eyes
than book teeth I suppose absolutely the
highest
octopuses is he on six is he on 16 then
he is on the 16th he’s playing alongside
Cameo Vias and uh den no he’s not he’s
playing alongside Mike we and Rio Huna
the Japanese player who’s also here on a
special invitation from austa so just
watching Mike we teeing off first and
Neil Shipley as you say he quite a uh
quite a rund figure in a yellow t-shirt
and that long kind of it’s almost like a
Bob of brown hair spilling out from
underneath his uh his white cap and uh
impressed you really I mean we hadn’t
seen the best of him have we playing
down the 15th he made a bit of a hash of
it well I was impressed that you used um
navigation and Shipley in the same
sentence that was clever oh yeah sorry
yeah I didn’t even notice that very well
um if you want to play college mascots
you can throw me in there cuz I probably
know most of them yeah but you know I’m
cheating yeah you are okay here we go
here we go we got got some golfers but
the it’s
amazing usually at this time of day we
have full Grand stands there’s green
Empty Chairs everywhere around the 15th
looking over at the 17th I can see what
you’re talking about Mark that’s I can
see about seven people over in there all
the whole place is following one group
like they used to do the Tiger Woods
guys absolutely and who’s watching them
yes and they have found the fairways
down the uh 10th hole and uh are in
decent shape as they make their way down
there I’ve been quite impressed with
Woods actually one underpar in these
conditions just watching Max Homer uh
rather Victor hovland on the 18th he’s
at one underpar round that promised more
than that he just puts up to the whole
side Windam Clark Bogi the last so his
master’s debut uh opening round ends
overpar one overpar 73 and just a quick
word on Rory mroy as well
uh 71 today one underpar his first
underpar opening round of the Masters
since 2018 here’s hovland finishing up
on the closing green and he TAPS in from
just a couple of feet and looks a little
ruul as he takes the ball from the cup a
par four to finish and a one under pass
71 for the Norwegian we won’t know till
we hear from him but can you anticipate
what what Rory will feel after that
round then I think he’ll feel a sense of
frustration but I think he’ll feel a
sense of of satisfaction that he
remained patient throughout because that
was his game plan and I think that’s
going to be a very difficult thing to
maintain he’ll be playing with Sheffer
again tomorrow and Sheffer has shot a 66
with well basically looking like he
didn’t get out of second gear uh in
doing it whereas mooy it was a stressful
round he missed some good opportunities
especially that putt on on the 16th so
there’ll be a mixture of frustration but
also an element of satisfaction in there
I would imagine let’s go back to Amen
Corner CU a couple of men who are who
are threatening this leaderboard to Comm
interview for John and Trish and that’s
tyell Hatton and mat paval yeah and as
you said that looking to my left
suddenly from behind the television
Tower I saw the figure the unmistakable
figure of Tyrell Hatton who is hit his
approach shot which has landed just to
the right just off the green to the
right side and the hole at the 11th here
today is cut right at the front left so
it’s one of the tricky positions not too
far away from that big black looking
Pond that is to the left of the green
and Terell Hatton is three under and
mattio pavon who I think has captured
all of our imagination with the story
that Ian’s been telling about him his
master’s debut first time he’s playing
in the Masters the Frenchman who is too
under par not sure whether there is
aball on the green their other playing
partner is Keegan Bradley the former
American Rider cup player and I think it
is pavon who is heading to the right so
both pavon and Hatton no you think he’s
on the green yeah he’s got well he’s got
a Potter in his hand I think there he is
yes so it is he so he is on the green
and he will have a put of probably 8 ft
for birdie yeah it’s going to be a quick
one we’ve seen this we’ve seen loads of
chips I don’t think we’ve seen anybody
putt from that angle it’s about yeah 8ot
right to left down the hill and it is
Swift so they’ve both arrived they all
three of them arrived at their ball so
we’ll have the shots around 11 to come I
the tall lob Lolly Pines that surround
so many of the holes here at the Augusta
National swaying in the breeze it’s more
than a breeze it’s a wind a gusting wind
that makes judgment so so difficult and
Tiger Woods won’t be able to feel pretty
much any of that breeze he’s looking up
now at the top of those trees just
trying to gauge the direction and the
strength of the wind 216 yard out Lance
Bennett his caddy comes over just for
one final word another mutter from Woods
as he gets himself ready to play this
from the right side of the faway took a
three-wood off the te propelled it 306
yards down the slope uh a dramatic fall
that wouldn’t be a Miss on a ski slope
but here it is one of the most iconic
views that you get here at Augusta
National and Tiger Woods with his second
shot oh he doesn’t like it it’s peeled
off towards the right towards the bunker
and it just catches the bunker and he’s
shortsighted himself there the flag only
uh a couple of Paces off the right side
of the green so a very delicate
difficult bunker shot to come for Tiger
Woods and very very frustrated with
himself
John oh that was a real gust of wind
just blew up there Ian as had to grab
the papers on the desk in front of M to
make sure that didn’t all fly off into
aen corner and um wouldn’t like that
would he that would be the wrong the
wrong time for that to happen it’ be
like Hugh Granton what was that um was
that love actually no it was it was
Colin
F actually the book all my notes headed
off into Ray Creek um but they’re just
waiting Keegan Bradley and mat pavon and
Terell Hatton for the group in front
Patrick Reed’s group to play up to the
12th which to have done now uh so it’ll
actually be Keegan Bradley to to play
first he is too overpar and uh the tall
figure is he’s allowed um Terell Hatton
and mattio pavon has just moved away to
one side where while Keegan Bradley is
actually going to play y just just
whilst you’re waiting for that uh just
kns back down on the course Brian
Harmon’s gone birdie birdies birded
eight and birded N so he’s now on two
under the open champion and Brooks ker
who’s playing with Harmon also birded
the par 58 to go back to level par so
those two are out there and progressing
nicely I mentioned Patrick Reed in the
group in front he he did Birdie the 11th
with um an excellent put actually from
from 8 ft or so so Patrick Reed another
former Champion they always seem to do
well you can bet your bottom dollar that
uh that the former Champion some former
Champion will be up there at the top of
the leader board Danny Willet of course
and uh and Patrick Reed two under so
Keegan Bradley has has really run that
pie by quite a distance from off the
11th green yeah he’s just played a
remarkable shot and for some unknown
reason he’s the only player we’ve seen
that’s decided to putt it from about six
yards off the front of the green and uh
he’s just come up he’s just about stayed
on the green the other side it was a it
was a bit of a shocker be Turell haton
to play next uh from just off the green
ban fantastic t- shot from Max Homer
down
the left side of the tent so he’s given
himself a really really lovely flat lie
for this shot from 170 odd yards in he’s
tugged it to the left front left corner
and a lengthy birdie putt to come for
the American there Homer going very
nicely at four under John T Hatton also
taking a putter from just off the green
though and he rolls it up onto the
putting surface and it goes down towards
the hall and keeps on going by well
that’s 5T and
haton did he know he trip over the no I
I think he he was he was in two minds
whether to break the putter kick the
putter or just probably well we can’t
see if he swore from here to be
perfectly honest but I I would hazly
guess yeah there was a few expletives
there he’s not impressed with that he’s
he’s run it at least six or seven feet
past and uh look at him I love watching
T haton because he’s just he never stops
does he he’s liid waving his arms around
and he’s swishing the putter on the
surface so he’s got work to do we
thought um he’s got work to do there to
make his PA four to remain at 3 under
keep hold of those notes John now is not
the time for them to head T Hatton I’ve
spent a long time on them this week I
don’t want them disappearing at a rais
creek uh here on 17 we have a player in
red numbers as well and that’s Cam Davis
who is three under the Australian Ali
yeah Sydney side’s got to bit a major
championship pedigree about him I was
just sort of um remind myself of of last
year uspga championship part of the
reason why he’s here tied forth uh their
three under par for his first round
today 17th green we’ve been talking
about it all day safely on the putting
surface uh in two seemed a little bit
amused by the putt actually gave it
enough up the middle of the green it
just turned away left to right so he’s
left himself maybe 2 or 3 feet uh for
his par to stay at 3 under par playing
alongside Cameo pjas and Denny McCarthy
your man in the sweep stake who actually
he Mark at two over that’s got a fiddly
one I’d say that seven or eight feet
chipping from the right hand side of the
green came up short so you you you will
have um you have a vested interest uh in
this part Denny McCarthy standing over
it in various Shades of Gray uh Ian
Tiger Woods third shot at the par 410th
35 ft away from the flag in the bunker
so short-sided himself we’ll be looking
to get this close just nudges it out and
the ball then releases down towards the
whole side beautifully judged by Tiger
Woods should make his part johnan tan
from Mata pavon who’s rolled in that
birdie put from 8 feet so he’s gone to
three under now the uh the Frenchman who
won the Spanish open back in October and
won on the PGA tour here in America in
January at the Farmers Insurance having
a a wonderful year and uh is now three
under as Terell Hatton has stepped up
this from 6 feet which he does haul to
remain at three and so both Hatton and
pavon three under yeah fantastic put
that for tur I’m very glad that went in
he always scares me if he’s going to
miss to be perfectly honest so but pavon
uh I think we can count on one hand John
the amount of players that actually hit
this screen today but to hit it what six
foot to the right hand side pin High
exceptional shot today yeah they they’ve
said as um as has been spoke Spen about
when references have been made to matio
pavon that he’s the the first Frenchman
to win on the PGA tour since the early
1900s but in actual fact really I think
Ian you would say that he is the first
Frenchman to win on the modern PGA Tour
and he’s having a very good Master’s
debut so far he is because um when Arno
Massi won the open the PGA Tour didn’t
even exist exactly
so so then trying to claim it is a
little misleading dis
genous I think there an excellent way to
describe it Homer from long range on the
10th comes up well short with his birdie
Putt and so he will have what 4 feet
there to save par and remain at four
under uh the uh big white scoreboard
here has actually taken Brooks K’s name
off the leaderboard so we wait to see
who is uh about to replace him Brian
Haron stays there on two under and his
progress is incredibly steady Ian it is
and that birdie at the ninth was a a
real highlight but he went seven
straight pars and then birded the par 58
which as we were saying in terms of in
relation to par has been the easiest
hole of the day Harmon taking advantage
of that and then the putt that he made
across the back of the ninth Green Well
that took me all the way back to Hoy
Lake cuz though that was the kind of
putt that he was routinely knocking in
uh in the course of his six shot open
Victory and and and with memories of
that given how steady he is and how he
just Bas I know he’s a completely
different tournament and different
conditions and we’re going back you know
eight eight nine months to his open win
but given his form and how steady he is
could he hang on to sheffer’s coattails
I think it will be very difficult for
him just because of the lack of length
that he has he’d be giving up so many so
many yards on on Sheffer now that’s
something that is always a bit of a
disadvantage as Jason day slots in a
longrange pup for Birdie on the 10th
that’s that’s one thing on a Links golf
course it’s quite another on a golf
course like this which is an absolute
beast at 7,600 yards so I think it’s
asking a lot but he can when that putter
gets going he can make out he can golf
his ball as they say so um and and
emboldened by being a major Champion so
you you never know and he’s a Georgia
Boy um he knows this place so this I’m
not saying he could overhaul a Scotty
Sheffer or even a Bryson to Sha boau but
I could see him posting his best Masters
this week but there’s a confidence isn’t
there Trish obviously that comes with
being being being a major champion and
all of a sudden feeling like you belong
like you deserve to be there and like
you are in the moving in the same
company and the same circles as somebody
like Scotty Sheffer yeah and also like
again I’m reference the rider cup again
though but someone like Max Homer who
was in mint form you know actually asked
wanted to play with Brian Harman I think
he’s you know it’s it’s what the other
players think of you as well that makes
a huge difference and quite clearly he
is very highly rated by his peers and if
he keeps putting as well as we know he
can you just never know but I do agree
with you and I think it is a monstrous
golf course and he is giving up sort of
40 odd yards it’s it’s tough to do that
over four rounds but if the putter keeps
keeps going uh don’t never say never
Homer made his par by the way his
putting stroke looks really secure on
those short range putts straight into
the middle of the cup so he remains at
four under here’s Tiger Woods to get up
and down from the bunker that’s a really
really Sensational up and down from the
bunker on the right there he’ll treat it
as being very very routine but you can’t
help but be impressed and Tiger Woods
remains in the red figures he’s at one
under par as he heads to the 11th t uh
Terell hatton’s now is on that
leaderboard now three under through 11
you must be sit watching him on 12 are
you in uh uh what you call John yeah
it’s whatever his name is yeah uh yes I
am turl Hatton so it’s binoculars at the
ready here in these it’s just beginning
and actually we’ve got a little bit of
cloud C cover coming over as well so I
would say for the first time now even
though we’ve still got sunshine you are
thinking that the light is just not
quite what it was so Turell Hatton three
unep bearded bristling all in black sent
his ball through the air towards the
12th green or and it’s landed short it’s
on the bank I think it’s going to roll
back it is groon
groon and Turell Hatton who who did
actually have a quite a long think about
that Trish didn’t he because the wind
was gusting around he did step off it
and he walks away and he’s in
discussions with his caddy and I can
almost see him gritting his teeth from
here there’s actually lots of
um again there’s lots of gesticulating
there they’re deep in discussions
between them the two of them yeah I
think I’m I’m amazed he didn’t back off
that because just as he stood over it
for you know a period of time it was a
massive gust of wind and when you see
where that ball pitched I mean he’s
pitched it 30 no 15 yards short of where
he’s aiming that is just that’s a
terrible decision and I don’t think you
can blame your caddy for that that’s up
to you know he can just feel it can’t
you it is just blowing one minute it’s
absolutely calm the next minute it’s a
two Club wind and he’s misjudged that by
two clubs you know as you say that um
Trish I’m looking at him through the
binoculars and it’s almost as if what
you’re saying is exactly what his his
body language is saying to uh to his CAD
e at pavon now with his t-shot and he’s
landed it back left so on this on this
hourglass shaped green with the wider
portions at either side it is back left
so he will have a put there to uh to get
well it’s a it’s a it’s a long long
outside birdy chance from the position
that he’s in yeah it is but it was a
really impressive shot again he just the
wind was still up and he just hit such a
a lower lower flight shot just to make
sure that it didn’t get up into that
wind and get it to stall and he just he
almost hit it straight through the wind
and got it to the back Edge is really
intelligent play yep so the Frenchman uh
three under and Terell Hatton you would
think will drop shots or shots here but
we’ll see uh 5 P 7 here in austa at the
moment so five midnight back in the UK
should we should we do a quick
leaderboard yes let’s do that because
Bryson Des Shawn Bo is the leader seven
under par after his 65 Scotty Sheffer is
in the house and one shot worse 66 but
there is a threat out on the golf course
Nikolai hoard hit a wonderful second
shot from the pine needles on the 13th
that set up a two-ck birdie he’s birded
the 13th he’s at five under pass so the
European Ridder cup player from Denmark
is within two shots of the lead and he’s
got the 15th and the 16th to come so who
knows Danny Willet in the clubhouse with
his 68 Max Homer going nicely he’s on
the 10th t as we speak 11th t as we
speak and he is at four underpar among
those at three underpar is tyell Hatton
but he’s gone into the water at the par
312th players out on the course showing
up nicely mat pavon we’ve been talking
about Patrick Reed through 12 holes is
at two under par ludvig obar eight holes
in has got it to two under par the same
Mark as Brian Harmon as he plays the
10th and Tommy Fleetwood is very quietly
going about his business his first
birdie came at the seventh he’s followed
it up with one at the eighth and the
Englishman is at two underpar in the
final group out on the course if you we
go back 90 minutes or so a couple of
hours ago it it felt like everybody was
going to fall away didn’t it Trish and
all of a sudden there are quite a few
out there who have defied what we were
thinking about the conditions and have
started to make moves on this opening
day yeah you know what there’s just been
sort of an hour is’t there of just
momentum basically I it’s bit like
watching a a flip and Rider cup or
something where they’re looking up and
they’re seeing all red numbers um yeah
it’s really been fantastic and you know
this where we are at aen corner these
these are not birdy holes today and yet
we’ve seen we’re just looking at the
board there hoard has birdied uh 11 12
and 13 there’s been a couple of players
that Fitzpatrick made a couple of
birdies through them so yeah sometimes
it’s just a bit of momentum shift and
you you can feel it you know sometimes
you can just feel the crowd uh the buzz
out there and and it gets the players
going um but it’s great it’s it’s very
entertaining the other thing to say Mark
is that that that spell six seven and 8
they’re the 11th 12th and 18th easiest
holes in terms of scoring today so you
know the players that I’ve been talking
about have made progress through that
spell uh the seventh has yielded you
know as I say 12 birdies 50 birdies on
the eighth the ninth has been getable
and then it’s kind of almost holding on
to your hat uh in a literally but also
in a metaphorical sense Down The Back
Nine where only the 13th and the 15th
have have been real genuine birdie
chances um you’re watching t-shots on 11
aren’t you in yes I am I was but I was
actually looking at those statistics so
I didn’t see them all right well we’ll
we’ll but Homer I believe is in the pine
straw of the tea so well we we’ll try
and find out where those t- shots has
gone while whilst we do that let’s hear
from a man who who was in the clubhous a
very very long time ago former Champion
Danny Willet who shot a very impressive
68 today four under
making contact on the first was a was
right up there you know I’ve not been
under pressure for 6 months or so the
last time was went with so yeah I had no
idea where I was going to be I was
nervous uh anxious about kind of what
you know what was going to happen What
you’re going to shoot but um you know
I’ve putting a lot of hard work over the
last few months now with the shoulder
and the strength and getting the repon
on the golf course and just lovely to
get out there and and shoot a scorer
that not only I mean yeah not not more
than respectable it’s amazing really in
the conditions that there are as you
mentioned the Wentworth your last
tournament and you were told after the
operation was it 12 to 18 months maybe
recovery yeah 12 to 18 and after the
first few weeks I was kind of that was a
plan cuz it you know it felt like the
shoulders going to drop off I’d never
have surgery before like that you know
so I didn’t know but um yeah some pretty
intent reab and and a great team of
people around me that have worked hard
and yeah just nice this was always a
free B you know I was I I never planned
on playing this week up until about two
months ago where I thought you know what
I’m strong enough I just need to get
some gol reps in and yeah L and behold
it’s it’s worked out all right so
far Danny Willet talking to Andrew
Cotter John with Terell Hatton three
under and mattio pavon who is also three
under Terell Hatton has taken his drop
after his t- shot at the par 312 rolled
down into the water and he set himself
up with a bulgy put from probably 8 ft
and pavon now for birdie I think he’s
left that a little short it was a long
long long birdie put no he walks around
behind it it’s close enough and he’s
just going to brush it in which he does
now so he remains at 300 safely through
Golden Bell with a par and uh and Turell
Hatton now this is just to drop the one
shot Tres yeah it’s a massively
important part this just to keep the
momentum you know if he can get away
after hitting that Dreadful t- shot on
12 if he can make bogy I think it’ll
almost feel like a you know almost feel
like a birdie really um it’s such a
difficult shot to play when you just got
a little wed shot in here as well cuz
the green just the depth of it is hardly
you can hardly see it when you look over
that front bunker you can hardly see any
landing area big part this as here in
the grand stand behind the tea more and
more people have arrived Tiger Woods on
his way and Terell Hatton has hold it
he’s hold it for his bulgy four
Hallelujah yes so that’ll make him feel
a little better for the time being but
that means that Terell Hatton currently
the world number 19 live golfer now he
is back to two under part for the
tournament yeah Tigers coming down 11
with Jason D Max H do you think he’ll
get to get 12 in as well Trish as the
light starts to fade yeah if they’re if
they’re coming down 11 now I think they
yeah there’s no question they’ll they’ll
get 12 in which actually why do you
starting on 13 that’s not the nicest
hold a start on tomorrow morning is it
but I’d rather start there I think 12
yeah the light’s starting to fade Andrew
McGee isn’t
it well from the south um it’s
definitely fading quickly from the the
clouds and the Blustery conditions are
continuing continuing through the night
until through tomorrow too so let’s just
get ready for this
again uh yes Harley J Murray was trying
to take the light quite early if he’s
out there batting the umpires are not
taking that from him are they no but
he’s he’s trying he’s trying to go in
isn’t he he is is absolutely I think
little little scared of the pace coming
at him Ian news of those t- shots on 11
yes uh the t- shots on 11 Tiger Woods is
in the Fairway Max Homer in the pine
straw and someone else in pine straw is
Nikolai hoard who’s making the big move
at the moment the Dane at five underpar
and his ball leaking off the Fairway on
the 14th so it’ll be interesting to see
if he’s got a clear look at the Green
will it said it there didn’t he in that
interview that when we were talking much
earlier this evening that that’s what it
felt like with him he said it was a
freeb for him exactly I think that um a
we were talking about it weren’t we
about when your expectations aren’t
there it’s much easier to in in a
strange way it’s it’s a it’s it’s easier
to surprise yourself and play really
really well we’ve got site now actually
of um max Homer who’s at four and Par
some really interesting quotes by the
way which I’ll give you when I can from
Rory mroy on Scotty Sheffer but Homer
from the pine straw down the right has
just played very conservatively I don’t
know if he’s even come into sight for
you because he’s laid it up a good good
way back probably 80 to 100 yards short
of the green yeah just seen it Ian the
ball has just rolled into our sight so
you know where we sit here which is in
the grand stand which is set well back
from the 12th T it’s it’s immediate L at
a right ankle to my left so that is
probably that’s probably 100 100 yard
100 ft short of the green yeah it’s
about yeah about yeah 80 90 yards short
of the green and but you know what
that’s probably left him an easier shot
because this pin is straight into the
teeth of the wind this pitch shot so you
can pitch it all the way up get it to
bounce once or twice and then just spin
back so you’d expect him to get it
within 8 ft or so from there Tiger Woods
at one underpar is in the middle of the
11th way and he’s just rehearsing that
delivery of the club before getting
himself ready almost stands to attention
209 yds out Woods as he gets ready to
play this second shot into the always
difficult PA or 11th and he’s just
backed off a puff of wind and those
trees really swaying bending more than
swaying in the wind looks very very
hazardous and you think back to last
year three trees came down and I’d
suggest the winds weren’t as strong then
as they are now but Woods is now back in
the zone two practice swings gets
himself ready stands at right angles
behind the ball Club in right hand then
takes the grip settles himself down and
John you’ll see this one arrive he’s
over it
now there it goes up into the evening
Skies it’s heading towards the right of
the green and down here and hundreds of
people are pointing at it because they
can see it down just uh behind the ropes
and it has it’s come up short as he as
Ian said there it’s come up short
probably 15 yards short of the green and
then rolls down to its resting place
yeah I mean you can feel that wind is
absolutely I mean it’s probably about a
2 and a half three Club wind so no
wonderers tight and the thing is it’s
not constant it is absolutely swirling
and for right now all you want to is
avoid that water and that is what most
players are just trying to do with that
front pin left hand pin today the
chances of tiger getting up and down for
there are very very good because it’s
such a a straightforward pitch cuz
you’re straight into the wind so I
wouldn’t be surprised if he goes close
with this pitch yeah but the flag that
is uh that is in the hall at the front
left of the 11th green is absolutely
flapping away furiously now it’s totally
unfurled and we can clearly see the the
map and flag logo of the Augusta
National on it but it will be Max hmer
who’s just arriving at his ball to our
left who is as we said probably 100 yard
short of the green or thereabouts and as
we do that here comes Tiger Woods into
sight in that peach colored shirt and
those beige colored trousers and the
White Cap so it’ll be Max Homer playing
shortly in fantastic second shot into
the nth for Tommy Fleetwood from the
middle of the Fairway all over the flag
and that has come to rest maybe 5 ft
from the cup so a real chance for
Fleetwood to climb on this leaderboard
and go to three under par currently at
two under no Drop shots for the
Englishman and he’s looking very very
good indeed I think Homer about to play
his third shot into the 11th John yes he
is he’s just the the upper part of his
body is caught in a Shard of this
evening sunlight here in Georgia but now
the wind really getting and above above
and behind him I can see the tops of the
trees really being tugged One Direction
and the other and his approach shot
lands at the front of the green that’s
excellent and then it takes a hop and
checks and he’s put that to 8 10 ft yeah
beautifully play just played it under
the wind a little bit straight into the
teeth of the wind knew as soon as it
bounced it was just going to stop and
then just just check back a tiny bit and
I have to say Jason’s D trousers are I
can’t remember it was in or chaper said
but they are truly remarkable just he’s
got he’s got a new clothing
supplier and they oh I mean it’s almost
it’s almost MC Hammer isn’t
it it’s they are they are voluminous
which for goer there’s never a good name
really M cut
Hammer very good and just to let you
know John um hoard had to play out
sideways on the 14th was right up
against one of the pine trees so in a
spot of bother on 14 at 500 well the uh
the galleries have swelled here but I
mean it’s still not it’s not a packed
house by any means but uh a number of
people arrived in the in the stands many
of them as well actually have arrived
with bags of shopping from the
merchandise various merchandise Outlets
a man just down in front of us has got
one of the Master’s garden gnomes in a
box that he’s carrying around the course
with him so um a mixed bag and it’s
Tiger Woods who is going to play from
this is from 15 yards maybe a little bit
more than that short of the Green Woods
who is one under having played in just
the one event on the PGA tour this year
and he pulled out of it oh and it he
sends it towards the hole and I thought
it was going to roll in but it just
checked and he’s left that to within
inches that’s to within inches for his
par for absolutely superb shot the way
he was just practicing his his shot
there knew you were going to hit it in
low he’s going to hit it really hard
checked up and I tell you what doesn’t
check up he’s hold it fantastic shot
tiger and is very best excellent
excellent work from uh from Tiger Woods
the now 48y old Tiger Woods so um Jason
day it is the Australian level par with
his he’s a little bit like the old baggy
trousers Madness video I hope he doesn’t
take off in his baggy trousers say uh
Jason day in these blusty conditions
just has a look at it he is also short
of the
green and uh just has another look at it
from behind he’s in that Hollow that is
just down in front of the 11th
green and uh Jason day who’s got a very
good record here at the Augusta National
but has had so many injury problems
sends it up and lands it just to the
right of the hole and it rolls and curls
around behind the hole actually but
that’s the within her foot 18 in yeah
beautifully played very different
technique to Tiger very sort of stiff
wristed very little wrist in it at all
but kept it a lot lower but beautifully
played great short game Jason day just a
little bit different to most players
very wooden but uh yeah he’s it’s close
enough I think he’s just going to tap it
in is he yeah looks like he’s just going
to mark it and tap it in for his
four yes he is in his cream colored
shirt we’ve been talking about his
trousers but his cream colored shirt
walks around behind it he’ll waste no
time over this so this is to remain at
level par so in it goes and uh I think
it’ll be Max Homer next to
play Max
Homer very popular figure on the PGA
tour he’s just got an amiable nice way
about him hasn’t he yeah he’s very
friendly and he’s you know very he’s
very on um sociable uh you know he’s on
his social media all the time and he’s
very complimentary about very
complimentary about women’s golf as well
nice fellow Max Homer really do like him
and he’s exciting to watch as well he’s
got a bit of he’s got some character
it’s what we want to see isn’t it it’s
his fifth Masters but I think he’s you
know he’s reaching another level now in
the game top Point scorer in Italy at
Marco
Simone when we missed you Trish you
would have loved it there if you’d been
able to be with us but um he was he was
one of the standard bearers for the
United States and this to remain at four
under par after that excellent approach
shot here he
is and from 6 feet he HS it and just
drops in that is well played what a good
for that was after being in the pain
straw of the team do you know what was
so sensible as well makes birdie but
gets to birdie birdie gets to 4 under
par hits it in the trouble and he
doesn’t try and take on too much and you
know hit it in more trouble gives
himself a chance at par and gets up and
down from 100 yards brilliant play and
Tiger Woods that’s the Applause for
Tiger Woods just rolling in there Tiger
Woods who is attempting to to break a
record this week yet another record at
the Augusta National if he’s here at the
weekend that will be a new record for
the number of consecutive Cuts made
listen to
this there are still hundreds and
hundreds of people here at Amen Corner
in the stands and in front of the grand
stands there and their colored shirts
and colored hats and uh they’ve given
the Acclaim to Tiger Woods as he gets up
onto the 12th
T shall we stick with this I presume
this is what we are all yours
concentrating on yes let’s do that now
Trish you want to just say a few words
while I change my glasses and get the
binoculars out will yeah so this 12 hole
now is well for the first time the flag
actually is whipping around it’s been
very well it hasn’t been moving even
though we know there’s been a two Club
wind up
here Jason day is just
contemplating probably hoping he doesn’t
get blown away right I’ve got myself
organized so I’ve got the binoculars now
and um looking down on Jason day who
just leans forward and uh actually
slightly
stumbles as he secures his ball and tea
into the ground and just looks up and
this is this is a real test Trish isn’t
it the these conditions now here on this
famous slice of golfing land in in these
conditions such a test it’s such a
difficult shot this and the only thing
you have to make sure you do is have
enough Club the front bunker is almost
that’s no place to go you cannot be
short of the green if you hit it long
and you hit it long left the chances are
you’re going to get the bounce to come
back down so you’ve got to make sure but
I think this shot requires the lower
shot keep it under the wind and that’s
not easy when you’re only hitting in an
eight
iron so with Tiger Woods and Max Homer
standing to one side it’s the Australian
Jason day to play first and and actually
something is something has happened
that’s distracted him and there actually
a leaf just blown across as well and he
did look at the gallery and then another
Leaf has has blown across the
tea no I think he’s just he’s at a loss
what’s going on here the wind is just
swirling all over the shop and he’s just
looking at his CAD just say well you
know what what number are we playing
that’s the difficulty you get a number
that you’re trying to hit your shot and
then when you stood over it that number
changes by 20 yards and you just have to
get called off it until it calms down
now he’s just looking to see whether or
not now cuz you can see that that the
flag 2 seconds ago it was right to left
you can see it was on the left hand side
of the H now it’s going the other way so
now he’s just double you’ve got to stick
to your original plan no matter what
it’s only 150 yard today it’s the
shortest hole on the course but it
messes with your
mind that’s actually quite a high
trajectory from Jason day as the ball
sets off towards the green and it’s
landed left it has land he’s Mr the
green on the left hand side he’s
actually down where Nicholas haard was
and that’s where he chipped in from
wasn’t it Nicholas how go yeah he’s a
lot further left and a lot shorter than
that but the only thing he’s got going
for him is he’s going straight up the
green he’s got plenty of green to work
with and the fact is it’s dry and that’s
a bonus right
now so it will be Max hmer to play next
who is is Right In Contention on this
first day of this 88th Masters on four
under par three shots behind the leader
Bryson D
Shambo so it is the Tall Bearded Max
Homer curly hair just sticking out of
the back of his cap who sends his ball
up and on towards the green right over
the
flag and I think think that is called
the
bunker or is it just on
the it is is that through the
back all right so it’s
through it’s stuck on the must say I
can’t see that and it uh is the can you
is the light getting worse I think it is
you yeah you did remember your
binoculars didn’t youn yeah I did yeah
just checking where is it it’s between
the bunker uh and the water and it’s
it’s stayed up wow Allie’s uh alli’s
just whispered to me I’ve got no chance
there without my you have not you’ve
absolutely got no chance I think it’s
probably symptomatic of the fading light
though isn’t it yeah yeah Nikolai hoard
by the way is has Bogi 14 so he’s gone
back to four under and you’ve got use a
Tommy fle wood here W Wood’s playing now
uh Mark and his ball has gone through
the green and it has landed up in the
pine straw at the back and it has stayed
up there right I mean it’s virtually
underneath one of those bushes with the
blossom well actually you had thought
that had to come back down every time
we’ve seen a ball go up there it’s come
back down but unfortunately for him he
didn’t pitch up there he landed it
pretty much at the back of the green and
then it’s just rolled up there and it’s
he I wouldn’t have thought he’s got too
nice a lie the way that stayed up there
but you never know that is going to be
very very tricky for Tiger Woods so um
so none of them none of the three
unsurprisingly make the green okay Fleet
Fleetwood news I another birdie came at
the ninth I described that magnificent
uh second shot in there fully
capitalized knocked it in three birdies
in a row and Fleetwood is motoring at
the moment three andar no Drop shots and
the Englishman is in a share of sixth
place let’s hear from another man who
moted all the way through the afternoon
again with no drop shot Scotty Sheffer
shot of 66 six under he’s one off the
lead held by Bryson D Shambo and here he
is well it’s always nice getting around
here in bogey free I uh you know I did a
good job of staying patient today we we
we kept the golf course in front of us
and I mean I executed some really nice
um up and downs to keep the round going
and yeah I enjoy coming here and
competing this golf tournament and you
know the first day is is over and I’m
off to a good start and um you know
going in tonight I’ll just focus on
going home getting some rest I may go
hit a few balls but outside of that I’m
going to go get some recovery in and
some dinner and then try to get some
sleep I mean I think in in terms of of
these tournaments yeah I think limiting
your mistakes I mean obviously a lot
easier said than done but um yeah
limiting your mistakes is important it’s
important to kind of keep that momentum
of the round going and um I felt like
today when I was in some challenging
spots on some tough holes that did a
good job of you know pitching up there
nice and close and um yeah it was
overall was it was pretty solid
there uh very calm Scotty Sheffer after
that 66 do you have those Rory maroy
quotes you were talking about here I do
he said Scotty does such a good job if
it doesn’t look like it’s six under part
and then at the end of the day it is six
under par he’s just so efficient with
everything if you look at Scotty
compared to the rest of the field the
amount of bogey free rounds he plays and
he shoots is phenomenal and that’s the
secret to winning major championships
and winning Big Time golf tournaments
it’s more limiting the mistakes rather
than making a ton of birdies the players
have reached their balls on 12 uh tiger
John Max
hmer is uh is just preparing to play
from this very unusual position at least
that’s my excuse the B the ball has
landed almost like on the front lip the
area just short of the front lip of the
front
bunker and uh and and from where we’re
looking here it is framed against the
white sand behind it uh but Max Homer is
just having a look at that but it’s
Jason day who is going to play first
from off the left side of the green so
Jason day who is level par today level
par for the tournament just pitches his
ball up onto the green and it rolls
across the surface towards the hall and
right to the hall side excellent play
from Jason day Trish Johnson yeah to be
honest he hit the worst shot but he’s
probably had the easiest uh the easiest
little pitch shot straight up the green
from a decent line Tiger’s got a shocker
of a lie it’s even worse than I thought
it was originally and I’m not even sure
if he’s going to actually be able to get
straight in line with the flag because
the bunker might be in the way as well
and it’s on such a steep down slope in
that pine straw this is going to do
really well to get within 10t I’m not
sure actually how he’s going to get up
there
to get a stance with the with that bush
and and also the back swing I I would
think that will be an issue as well with
the branches of the Bush that’s up on
the Steep bank but it is Max hmer who’s
going to play next Jason Day by the way
has tapped that in so uh it is a par
three he will be very relieved he’ll
take that after the indecision and
second and third thoughts that he had on
the tea Max Homer now just chips this
forward bunker in front of him up onto
the green it rolls up towards the back
of the green and stays up there and he’s
left himself a really tricky one
downhill probably what 8 ft maybe more
yeah I think it’s more to be honest I
think he’s pretty unlucky there I don’t
think he could get into the back of the
ball and it’s such a he’s going down
downhill from his lie he’s got to get it
over that bunker very quickly and as
soon as it lands on the green it’s just
going to shoot forward so he’s probably
got it as good as he could do right now
Tiger Woods steps up to the back of the
green and The Stance is very very
awkward and he is standing way below the
level of the ball and and now he’s
putting his right foot back up onto the
the the Steep Bank there but that he’s
not happy with that so his feet are
right down below where the ball is so
he’s he’s he’s he’s clutching down the
shaft of the club and then bumps it down
into the area before the green and up it
comes onto the pudding surface and he
has put that to Within probably 78 ft
that’s a brilliant shot I can’t tell you
how difficult that was he’s got the ball
about 2T outside his right foot and he’s
just got to make sure that he catches
the ball first and doesn’t get the pine
stuck in between club and ball but and
to judge that and leave it where he has
you know I can’t tell you how good that
was yeah lovely touch from the great man
the five times winner around here the 15
times major
Champion so with Jason d
able to stand away to one side it’s up
to Max H and Tiger Woods who’ve both got
work to do to finish off here this for
Homer to stay at 4 under and for Woods
Tiger Woods to stay at 1 under and it
will be Max Homer who will play first
and this put down down the slope down
the Green from where he is this this
really requires the Classic austa Touch
yeah it very much depends on how much he
wants to give this cuz it’s a left to
right put down the hill and if it gets
away from you if it misses the hole it’s
just going to keep going on and on and
on so he’s either going to if he wants
to hit it firm then obviously he’s got
to take some break out of it but that’s
a bold move because if he misses he’s
got six foot coming back I think it’s
going to be just the one that you just
give a little bit more break and just
get it dying into the hole oh we’re well
into the evening now here in Augusta
Georgia with the light certainly
beginning to fade Max
Homer as we look at him one foot
certainly higher than the other that
gives the idea of the slope that he’s
putting down towards the hole and it
does not fall into the hole so it is a
bogey it’s a bogey four which he TAPS in
and Max Homer drops back to three under
so Tiger Woods Ian will have to finish
off next to remain at one under and just
to bring you up to date with tyell
Hatton excellent third shot into the
13th fully capitalized knocked it in
from maybe 3 4T for a bounceback birdie
so he returns to three underpar so two
Englishmen at three under par in tyell
Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood and remember
Danny Willet in the clubhouse at four
under so Tiger Woods there only tiger
and his caddy on the 12th green now and
I can see the reflections of both of
them in the waters of Ray’s Creek Tiger
Woods in that peachy colored shirt
Georgia Peach steps forward and this now
from 78 ft this to remain at one
under the ball rolling now towards the
hall and in well played Tiger Woods very
very good par three to remain at one
under we’ be delighted with that and
actually you I think we’ve still got
maybe another feels like another 10 20
minutes of of light so to get through 11
and 12 with PS that is as well it’s one
up on the field that’s for sure
fantastic three there from Woods and if
he can make birdie at 13 well get to two
under who knows yep so he’s one under he
is one under but Max Homer drops back to
three under Mark and uh we’ve got three
more groups to come through Amen Corner
and actually Brian Haron the Open champ
on Two And is currently with his playing
Partners Brooks keper on on level par
and Tom Kim one and they are on the 11th
green now uh we we seen Fred Freddy
Couples uh down below us there through
his group of 317 although uh the uh the
amateur in that group Stuart harad
didn’t wait for hadwin or couples to PO
out did he he marched off to the 18 and
I wonder whether that was just to try
and get the hole done I think so I mean
he he’d finished up and he he certainly
wasn’t going to disturb them by moving
away because he was down at the bottom
of the slope behind the 17th green so I
think he’s probably just thinking you
know what I want to get on with this get
this round finished before play gets
called for the night and Freddy Couples
made his bogey five he’s moved out to
seven over par and he’s going to take
his time he’s just strolling down that
that narrow long 18th T getting ready to
play the last hole of the first round I
thought ha I might have played his t-
shot while before before couples and
hadin arrived on the tea well he he’d do
that so that once you’ve played that
shot then you can complete the whole
yeah that yes so so they wanted to get
it he wanted to get it done exactly
exactly you wouldn’t want to come back
and just finish off on 18 would you if
you can avoid it nichas hoard is on 15
cat yes where Andrew McGee and I have
just Shrugged on some light layers as
the chill of the evening begins to
descend a pinkish tin is tinge is
bouncing off the underneath of the
clouds overhead and ref in on the dark
surface of the pond Andrew McGee
actually just said that everything’s a
lot clearer
now and it’s not as dark asz he’s taken
off his sunglasses you know as Arizona
people we just sleep in our sunglasses I
just forgot I was wearing them he was
like oh actually there is a bit more
Daylight then I it’s lovely it’s lovely
out here so just keeping our voices down
because behind us Shane Lowry’s group
just teing off on the 16th but Nikolai
hyar he seemed to be in a good position
from the top of the hill and he
certainly got the length to go for the
green but he’s chosen to lay up on the
par 55th hyar at four underpar playing
alongside two time winner Bubba Watson
and Adam shank Watson one overpar shank
uh at levelar at the moment and the wind
is howling wow the sending Blooms of
ripples across the surface of the pond
haar has stepped off this ball and he’s
looking up at the trees thinking where
on Earth has that come from well he’s
looking at the flag it’s just ripping
straight down win for him which is which
is difficult to to get any spin on this
ball to hold the to hold the green with
just a we wedge let’s see if he can
figure it out he’s taking a long time to
get the to make a correct decision here
cuz this is a big stop this is four into
par doesn’t want to mess it up right now
on this difficult shot and he dropped a
shot on the 14th as well so doesn’t want
to go for back toback Bogies here
playing in his first masters of course
the young Dane 23 years old cool calm
member of the Ridder Cup team in Rome in
the Autumn won uh the DP World Tour
Championship last year and has been
focusing his attentions since on the PGA
tour runner up at the Farmers Insurance
on his first start of the year but he’s
slid down to a couple of miscuts at the
Arnold Palmer and the players on his
last couple of appearances but obviously
rediscovering some magic here on the
biggest stage of all and he’s just
launched this one into the growing
Darkness bouncing a couple of times
beyond the pin now needs to put on a
little bit of Back Spin but
unfortunately that one’s moved sideways
for him is working itself away from the
hole yeah most of those shots we’ve seen
coming in right of the pin and then
having a little hook spin spinning down
to the hole he ended up Landing left of
the pin which is this green is
everything from right to left as a huge
slope coming across this green he’s not
totally happy with that he threw his
arms up in a bit of exasperation but hit
it in the green from there is not
terrible not maybe the best approach
then to this 15th hole Nikolai haar
could have gone for the green given
where he was chose to lay up but he’s
got a really long birdie putt coming up
for uh 25t or so if he wants to pick up
another shot here Bobba Watson though
and Adam shank both on the Green in two
so they’ve got some Eagle chances coming
chapers uh Justin Rose coming down 171
over uh Peter Malnati in that group
provided one of the more heartwarming
stories of the PGA season but he has
struggled today he is nine over speaking
of struggling I think Tiger’s in trouble
on 13 Ian yeah he’s ballooned t-shot on
the par five 13th way way right as far
right as and if not further right than
any other player I’ve certainly seen
going through that 13th hole today so
he’s got a a forest of Pines to
negotiate when he gets to the ball by
contrast Max homz hit a wonderful t-shot
raking low draw that has gone round the
corner and certainly has put the green
very much in range for him as for Tommy
Fleetwood he on the 10th missed the
green to the left and left himself
around about 10 ft for his birdie uh
rather for his par and couldn’t take
that opportunity he’s dropped a shot at
the 10th and so Fleetwood back to two
under par and as the Sun starts to set
away to our right and goes behind the
clouds uh Brian Harmon has dropped a
shot in front of John Murray yes he did
he uh he he was short of the green and
he ended up dropping a shot so he is one
under par and he is now with his playing
Partners Tom K and Brooks capka on the
12th T so Brian Harman the open Champion
one under par of the tournament Brooks
kka is at level and Tom Kim is one over
and it is kka now who plays his t-shot
towards the 12th green through the
Gathering Gloom and the ball comes down
right at the back of the green so so he
will have that downhill put of 12 15 ft
for for a birdie from there for brute
cap yeah all over the flag and really
good shot just uh it’s going to be a
quick putt but at least he’s got a birdy
chance and so now Brian Haron the open
champion last year at H lake at Royal
Liverpool Brian the butcher as he was
dubbed by the British tablin
newspapers for his love of hunting and
then eating the the meat that he
gathered so the butcher which did very
much amuse him I know he’s over the ball
now and off it goes towards the 12th
green to the right of the putting
surface oh and it’s landed short on the
bank and it’s rolling back down and it’s
into the water and he’s the latest he’s
the latest player whose ball even though
conditions now have changed again and it
doesn’t seem anything like the the
swirling wind that we saw for for Jason
day and Tiger Woods a few moments ago
but he’s in the water yeah that’s just a
poor execution because as you say John
uh the wind has died down there’s hardly
any wind here right now and he’s not
even pitched that on the front edge so
whether it could have been a m hit and
if it wasn’t a m hit it’s certainly a
Mis Club y so he’s dropped a shot at the
11th Brian Haron and every chance that
he will drop shot or shots at the 12th
as well Tom Kim just about to te off at
one over and uh and just coming down the
11th now Mark ludvik or on his master’s
debut indeed his major debut to underpar
turning into some kind of Comedy sketch
here on 17 because everybody that’s
coming up now is trying to rush through
Ali aren’t they so they can get on to 18
so Justin Rose in this group with Eric
Cole and Peter malti they actually sent
malti ahead sprinting to the green to
get to his ball first that he can put
out and get on to the 18th T and get
that hole underway so that they don’t
have to come back tomorrow to play 18
cat just hanging onto my notes having a
John Murray moment here the wind that
John’s been battling with on Amen Corner
has found its way down here to the 15th
and 16th puffs of white sand being
lifted out of the bunker as Nikolai
hayar attempts this 25 foot birdie Putt
and that one curling round a little bit
short coming up a couple of feet short
for hayy should be able to just uh tap
it in in for his part but I was watching
him Andrew McGee walking around the lake
here and and they look like fireworks
exploding on the surface of the pond
those ripples racing across in the wind
he was having a real go at his caddy who
was rather magnificently called
Christian Christensen he was looking at
his yardage book that approach shot he
was hoping for a lot better he was
hoping to pick up that drop shot once
again I think they might have been I was
just trying up we were both talking
about what are they doing and I think he
wanted to be closer to the green on his
third shot and he laid back too far
which just made the shot just too
difficult with the with the wind
blustering as it is that’s the first
time we’ve seen the sand just rip out of
that bunker over there because it’s
gusting that hard yeah so quietening
down over Amen Corner but here at 156
still plenty of drama plenty of wind
Bubba Watson the two-time champion just
gliding one by that was for birdie for
for Bubba he’d found the Green in too so
he had a good look at Eagle and his
birdie putts drifted by by about 5T or
so he gave it a bit of a wave a
sarcastic wave from the former Champion
as it headed down towards the
water Justin Rose is spending as much
time here Alli trying to watch Malnati
on 18 see whether he’s taking his t-shot
but he can’t take his t- shot because
the group ahead the Freddy Coupes group
are on The Fairway so he can’t take his
shot but Justin Rose is half watching
Malnati on the 18th whilst trying to
line up his own pot well Manti at 9 over
you know has had a very difficult first
round he’s sort of taken one for the
team there hasn’t he he rushed through
his two puts made his two putts and made
his par on the 17th Justin Rose’s birdie
put is on its way from back left of this
green that’s where Des Shambo hold his
birdie putt from earlier in the day he’s
knocked that up to about two or three
feet so he’ll need that to save his par
and keep himself at one over P we had
John Murray ask him for the light from
the umpires Mal natti he wears that sort
of white floppy hat looked like sort of
David G prowling in the covers as he
went sprinting off the back of the 17th
green to get to the 18th T but Rose has
told him to get on with it but he can’t
because the group ahead in the way here
Tiger Woods from the pine straw deep
into the woods down the right hand side
of the par five 13th he could just bunt
it low running it through that ochre
colored pine straw the ball then
emerging into the second cut and then
eventually just about making it onto the
Fairway but still a long way back in two
on the par five second Jason day is in a
similar position and he’s got a an
opportunity to fire something that will
get much more advanced down the Fairway
and Max Homer will be next to play on
this 13th in Prime position in the
middle of the Fairway looking to find
the Green in two uh Malnati has has gone
I don’t know whether the group ahead
have moved but Malnati has gone
encouraged by Rose to do so cat Nikolai
haard just tidying up for his par here
on the rather messy looking 15th green
now there’s a splatter of sand all over
the the the far edge of it that uh
Spilled Out once it was lifted out by
the wind a short time ago all still all
calm again once again not a breath of
wind it’s just been such a weird Topsy
Turvy day in terms of the wind but yeah
Nikolai haard just tapping in from a
couple of feet for his par he’ll stay at
4 under so three shots off the lead and
they are it looks like going to walk on
to the 16th T so we should have some
play here in just a moment okay back to
M Homer with Ian second shot and he’s
laid it up 240 yards out I thought he
was a bit closer and didn’t take on
Ray’s Creek and uh has laid it up
probably to 100 yards short of the green
as you can now see trell Hatton on the
14th looking for a birdie and he’s not
happy at all he’s looking to the heavens
he’s now chuntering I mean it it almost
looked like a mish hit that Putt and
it’s come up short and he’s got a smile
on his face and a oh my goodness me he’s
so so animated the good thing about the
Masters is that the microphones can’t
get close enough for Ty Hatton cuz
sometimes it can get a bit too fruity as
it did at Liv last week um if we’ve got
time I can tell you about Wood’s third
shot on the 13th long iron in hand ball
very much above his feet so a real test
of golfing craftsmanship here looks to
have made very good contact there
beautifully balanced follow through
finds the heart of the green that that’s
a superb shot from Tiger Woods and he’s
safely aboard the putting surface and
he’s given himself a birdie chance from
20
ft uh 10 to8 in the evening here at
Augusta and it is getting gloomy 10 to 1
in the morning back home in the UK what
news of hoard cat well you’ll like this
Mark it is getting a bit gloomy and
there are two players in this group
wearing blue shirts and blue caps and
blue trousers so we were looking at the
wrong guy and Nikolai hyar actually
birdied the par five 15 so he has moved
back to five underpass our mistake it’s
getting very late in the day as he put
his sunglasses back on next year we were
both like no no that’s definitely him I
even had my binoculars out oh can hear
the Hooter blowing Mark and just as
Nikolai haar and the actual Nikolai hyar
was putting his TEEG in the tea on the
16th the HOA blows before the end of
play on day one of the 88th Masters so
Bubba Watson Adam shank and Nikolai
hayar will start again on the 60 the
rules official has just come
out and is clarifying what they need to
do Yep they’re heading off towards the
back of the tea and I think that is the
end of the action for the opening day
Mark they’re heading off there Eric Cole
and Justin Rose are teeing off on 18 at
the moment and Justin Rose is going to
take his t- shot what’s what’s happening
around Amen Corner John well ludvig alar
has made his PA for at the 11th to
remain at two under the Daye and Brian
Harmon is just having taken his drop
after his t-shot ended up in the water
he has just played his pitch shot there
which he has judged very very well I
mean he’s playing it from way out
towards the the Byron Nelson Bridge
which is uh a way to in the distance to
my right that’s where you walk down from
the 13th t as you make your way down the
par five but he’s judged that pretty
well Trish Johnson he’s left that
probably 10 12 ft but the problem is
that he is he’s there in three already
isn’t he yeah he is but he’s played a
really good recovery shot there and I
think you’re right John I think he’s got
somewhere around about 8 10 ft down the
hill I mean it’s a big part to finish if
you finish off with a double Bogey and
finish bogey double bogey your last two
holes that will be a real kick in the
teeth y so he’s got to finish off as as
Brooks kepka on the 12th
on the 13th Max Homer playing a
beautifully spun wedge from 75 yds in to
the green with his third shot to the par
five and he’s given himself probably
seven8 ft for birdie be very interesting
to see whether he wants to take that
birdie Putt in this light or come back
and have that the first shot for the
morning it’s a putt to get to four under
and that’s the choice here for all of
them now is that they can complete the
hole that they are on or they can stop
now
and and and pick up first thing tomorrow
exactly that so that it’s if it was uh
if the Hooter had gone because of
threatening weather that would be it
they’d just have to go off but that’s
not the case it’s due to Darkness so
they have the option and so you know
Eric Cole and Justin Rose and Peter
Malnati they’re on the balance of the
the marathon that is the 72 hole
tournament they probably feel that it’s
they’re better off giving themselves a
bit of a l in tomorrow and getting it
done and playing the 18th in the dark
and that hence they’re they’re making
their way up there now do you do you
have to make the decision as a three no
I think you know you can do it
individually as as far as I know yeah so
uh so it could be that someone would say
well no I’m I’m I’m going to stop now
but clearly on the group on 13 Homer
woods and day they’re going to put in
the darkness okay there and they’re
still going on 12 I think yes they are
they’ve uh they’ve opted to finished the
12th so Brooks capap remember he had
that put for birdie from right at the
back of the green he’s rolled that down
he hasn’t Hol out yet and now Brian
Harmon has this put for his bulgy four
and this is all of this is all of 10 ft
and it is very very gloomy here
now in terms of of playing Sport and in
terms of how it can mess with the mind
and there are lights on up in the
undergrowth up on the banks above Amen
Corner
we can see them glowing in the
dark and Harmon now putting for his bogy
for and he hauls it well hauled Brian
Haron yeah that’s fantastic really that
is so gutsy cuz he okay one shot dropped
but to drop one on 11 and then two on 12
and then go and sleep on that come back
out in the morning would be so difficult
that was a really really guty part from
Harmon and so Brooks capat just has to
uh finish this off which now has he
hauled
out I’m not sure he did I think I think
I think he’s left it yeah I don’t think
he wants to finish in the dark I think
he uh he’s happy to come back and give
himself that tomorrow I haven’t seen him
whole hour definitely I think he’s I
think Brook kepka still has a short put
to take there when play resumes in the
morning and he’s actually just walking
back across the green now to uh yeah
he’s just yeah he’s just putting a
couple of t’s in to make sure that the
his marker is if he just leaves the
marker there when they when they come
and uh do the greens then that will
disappear but if you put te’s down
they’ll they’ll still be there in the
morning y so Brooks kep G Ian is going
to begin in the morning on the second
round morning to complete his first with
a short P to remain at level par on the
12th green but that is it that’s the end
of that’s the end of play here at Amen
Corner for this first evening on the
13th Tiger Woods has just cozied his
birdie putut up to the whole side just
18 in to negotiate here for his par five
having driven into the Wilds of the
woods and Tiger Woods will resume on the
14th T which is probably one of the more
friendly uh shots that you could resume
with uh first thing tomorrow morning and
he will do so at One underpar Max Homer
still to putt he’s got the birdie chance
that would take him into a share of
fourth place with Danny Willet at four
under
Nikolai hoard at five underpar Scotty
sheffler at 6 underpar after his 66 and
Bryson Des Shambo the leader at the end
of day one at seven underpar after his
round of 65 Jason Day is next to play
always a very deliberate golfer and he’s
taking advantage of the last vestages of
light here this is for a birdie and this
would take him to one underpar in the
same Mark as Tiger Woods with those
voluminous gray dark gray trousers sends
this pup forward and well maybe maybe he
should have had a look at it in the
morning because he didn’t spot the
borrow there and he left it on the high
side and so that will be a par five for
Jason day and he remains at level par
and next to play will be Max Homer and
Homer has had a really really good day
he’s at three underpar he’s had to
battle the worst of the weather he’s
never really been a factor in a major
championship before he looks a much more
composed golfer than the one who played
with Tiger Woods at the Open
Championship at St Andrews the 150th
open the year before
last now he’s a Ridder cup success story
albe it an overall
defeat and now he has acquitted himself
extremely
well with with his uh first round here
so far now here is Justin Rose on the
18th playing his second shot peering
through the darkness as the ball lands
in the back right area of the green
pretty much pin High good distance
control I wonder if he’ll want to putt
that though anyway here is Max Homer for
his birdie dribbling it down the slope
will it stay up yes it does and there’s
a clenched Fist from Homer because a
birdie that takes him to four under par
and He will sleep very very well after
that and these three will resume on the
14th T and Homer will do so having just
pocketed a birdie that puts him into a
share of fourth place with Danny Willet
yeah Bryon to Shambo then the leader
overnight seven under Scotty Sheffer the
world number one on six under um the
news from here is that the first round
will resume at 10 to 8: in the morning
morning tomorrow morning so that is 10
to1 uh UK time in the afternoon the
second round will begin 10 minutes later
so the second round will begin at 8:00
here at austa 1:00 in the UK updates of
course throughout the afternoon uh on
five live especially during Collins show
as well I think plenty of us will be on
during Collins show uh and then we’ll be
on again five live sport from 7:00
updates there with Darren on the Friday
football social uh and then full
commentary on Sports extra again from
8:00 we’ll do a bit more on five live as
well but at 10 to uh what did I say 10
to1 UK time the first round will resume
1:00 it will uh get underway the second
round and we’ll keep you up to date all
the way on five live sports extra and
BBC sounds from a very very gloomy
Augusta as the final few patrons file
towards the exit it’s good night from us