-3 Blixt (Swe) after 16, Jimenez (Spa) 8; -2 K. Stadler (US) 13, Couples (US) 9 Stricker (US) 9, Haas (US) 8, Scott (Aus) 6, McIlroy (NI) 2, Lyle (Sco) 3; -1 Simpson (US) 6, Snedeker (US) 7, Gallacher (Sco) 2.

Selected others: E Fowler (US) after 9, McDowell (NI) 9; +2 Poulter (Eng) 11, Donaldson (Sco) 7, +4 Woosnam (Wal) 17

Latest leaderboard in full, external and tee times

Image source, Reuters

Steve Stricker was been in decent nick in 2013 with eight top-10 finishes in 13 starts. He has picked up birdies on seven and eight to join the crowd on two under.

His best Masters finish? Sixth in 2009.

Not much of a surprise to see the name currently leading the British charge - Rory McIlroy, the tournament favourite looking for his third major, is two under.

Slightly less expected is the name right behind him on the leaderboard. Sandy Lyle, the 1986 champion, has birdied both the second and third to join McIlroy on two under.

Graeme McDowell has played par golf through nine to lie one ahead of amateur Matt Fitzpatrick and former Open champion Darren Clarke.

Ian Poulter and Jamie Donaldson are a further shot back, but it's not gone well for David Lynn and Ian Woosnam. Lynn is six over, two behind 1991 champions Woosnam.

Few members of the field at Augusta can have as remarkable a story as Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee in how they came to start playing the sport. According to the official media guide, he spent his childhood in a two-story wooden house that backed onto a golf course. He was a keen football player but suffered an injury when a wooden skewer became embedded in his foot. During his recuperation he sneaked onto the golf course behind his home, tied the discarded head of a five-iron to a bamboo stick and started playing golf! As CNN acknowledges in their event preview,, external he could be the first Asian winner ever at Augusta.

It is a final hurrah as an amateur for Northumberland based Garrick Porteous. A Masters debut for the 24-year-old, who will turn professional after his first Augusta experience. Porteous is no stranger to the United States, having played the game during his years at the University of Tennessee where he majored in studio art.

He still calls himself an artist on his website., external Here is an example of his work. A birdie or bogey effort?

He is one over after the first.

Image source, Garrick Porteous

Andrew Neill, external: Players should have to play a joker on one hole at the start. They then get an automatic gimmie when they get to within 10 feet

Neil Foot, external: Clearly putters should be replaced with pool cues. Nobody plays until all on the green. No marking balls. No jump shots.

edh, external: Players have a mime artist to use at their disposal to distract opponent; can be used once per round, best reserved for play-offs.

Yep, that is right, leaders plural. Miguel Angel Jimenez has put together successive birdies, chipping in on the par-three sixth before picking up another stroke on seven, to join Jonas Blixt at the top of the shop.

Rory McIlroy is up and rumbling. He follows a birdie on the third by rolling in from five feet on the fifth for another. Two under.

He is joined there by defending champ Adam Scott, who birdies the sixth to move to two under. And there is Sandy Lyle, the salty old dog, birdying two of the first three to join a seven strong group behind the leaders.

Image source, Reuters

The opening group, consisting of South African Tim Clark and American Stewart Cink, have just negotiated the 17th. No news yet if they paused to doff their caps at the site where the Eisenhower Tree once stood.

The 20m-tall loblolly pine bestrode the fairway until it suffered extensive damage in a major ice storm in February.

Out it came and who better than Ken Brown to talk you through the difference it's absence makes.

Image source, AFP

Ryan Moore may have scuppered his chances at the Masters after winning the par three competition on Wednesday. In its 53-year history, the par three winner has never gone on to clinch the Green Jacket in the same year. He tees off at 17:09 BST.

Image source, AP

Rory McIlroy takes par from the second, but American rookie playing partner Patrick Reed has moved up into a share of fourth with a birdie to take him to one under.

Sweden's Jonas Blixt is steady as he blows. He takes par from the 14th to keep his two-shot lead over the rest.

PGA Tour on Twitter: , externalHey, everyone: Fred Couples is on the first page of the #Masters leaderboard. (Save this tweet so you can use it again next year.)

Rob Hodgetts, BBC Sport golf writer.

Winner: Phil Mickelson. In love with the place, and desperate to join Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods on four Green Jackets. Forever on about how he doesn't have to be at his best to do well here because he can recover from mistakes. Top-notch caddie, stunning short game, and a bag of tricks second to none. He gets energised more than any other when the roars explode on Sunday. A quick swash, a little buckle and it's Lefty's for the taking.

Big week: Brandt Snedeker. Has a decent pedigree at Augusta which counts for a lot. Played in the last group with eventual winner Trevor Immelman in 2008 and tied for sixth last year. A red-hot putter when on form, though he admits he has struggled of late. But an encouraging final round with the flatstick at Bay Hill suggests his magic wand is working again.

Read more predictions from the experts.

Jack from Tunbridge Wells: Players should have to play a Joker card on one hole, which gives them an automatic hole-in-one.

Jay Townsend
BBC Radio 5 live summariser

I think you are always surprised by some people who get off to a good start - we say it is a marathon not a sprint.

The course is still a bit soft from the rain on Monday and some players are taking advantage of it. The scoreboard will look pretty familiar by the end of the day.

I walked the course this morning - it is in immaculate condition. With the calm winds and the softer greens, some players are taking advantage of this.

It will continue to get better and become more of a challenge as it dries out throughout the week.

BBC Radio 5 Live's coverage of the Masters begins at 21:00 BST this evening.

Freddie Couples is up into a share of second place behind leader Jonas Blixt with a birdie four on eight taking him to two under.

Image source, AP

Miguel Angel Jimenez is also showing the young pups what it is all about. The cigar-chomping Spaniard is also on two under after a birdie on the sixth. Showing the benefits of that extensive stretching routine.

George D: I got my 'Quiet Please' Marshall's paddle signed by Rory McIlroy as we waited on the 18th green for him to be called forward to pick up the Amateur medal at Carnoustie in 2007. A clearly talented & nice guy, even back then.

Simon in Sidcup: I have a signed 1997 Masters cap, signed by none other than Sam Snead. He stood for hours signing autographs top man.

If you missed those comments by Patrick Reed, this is what he had to say for himself after winning at Doral in March.

"I've worked so hard, I've won a lot in my junior career, did great things in my amateur career," he said.

"I just don't see a lot of guys that have done that, besides Tiger Woods, of course, and, you know, the other legends of the game. It's just one of those things, I believe in myself and - especially with how hard I've worked - I'm one of the top five players in the world.

"To come out in a field like this and to hold on wire to wire like that, I feel like I've proven myself."

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Augusta National

"No doubt which the kingpin group is out on course right now. Deep thickets of patrons following Rory McIlroy, Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth. The silence is deafening when McIlroy's second to the first comes up way short after he sticks it in position A off the tee. Reed's balloon - self-inflated with his "I belong in the top five" comments - is burst straight away with a drive into the bunker. A car alarm from the neighbouring hospitality welcomes the trio onto the green.

"It is switched off, probably by someone in a mad panic, before they putt and the birds resume the soundtrack. Big feature of Augusta is birdsong. Great golf pundits. Knowledgeable.

"Anyway, McIlroy, back muscles rippling under his shirt, taps in his par putt and strides off to the second tee back in the woods by the fence."

Gus Pingu: Players should have to fell a tree on the course and hew their clubs from the wood to play the tournament with.

Rob from Birmingham: I'd have a rule where if your opponent hit a really streaky shot which they clearly didn't mean, you should be allowed to ask them to do it again to prove it was skill and not luck.

Tom from Hampshire: The recall, each player can recall one shot of each of his opponents per 18 holes and force them to take it again.

Gus, I like this rule. Mixing a bit of Bear Grylls-survival instinct with the sports casual.