Image source, Reuters

Jose Maria Olazabal, the 1994 and 1999 champion, has just started his 25th Masters tournament as a professional. He was also the last European to don the Green Jacket.

English playing partner Garrick Porteous will end his amateur career at the 2014 Masters and bypass his US Open invitation. His first professional event will be the Malaysian Open on the European Tour later this month.

Image source, AFP

Jonas Blixt has nibbled another shot off the rest of the field, moving out to four under with a birdie on the 13th.

The 29-year-old Swede's profile on the PGA Tour site states that he would like to play at Augusta National., external His wish has been granted for this year and it seems to be living up to expectation.

Paul Hayward, Daily Telegraph.

Winner: Jason Day. He's always struck me as a guaranteed major winner. He won last time out, he's got an excellent Masters record and last year finishing third to Scott it looked a matter of when, rather than if, he would win a major prize, and I think he can win this week. He's in good form and there is a good vibe around him. He's a good price at 18-1 and he would be my pick.

Big week: Patrick Reed. He has shaken up the old order with his comment about being a top-five player. He's had scrapes at college, he's an interesting character - spiky, confident, cocky - the type of golfer the sport needs to attract non-aficionados. I want to see whether he can put his money where his mouth is this week.

Read more predictions from the experts.

Bad News Mardy:, external I would have a hole 10x larger than normal and if you made it with a wedge you move on. If you miss it's two strokes!

Stephen Knipe:, external Novelty rules? How about a shot of whisky for every shot over par? Early missed shots have long term impact!

Toby Nippard:, external If the player does not make the cut then he is the one to receive 10% of the 'winnings' for that week not the caddie!

As a seventh grader, American Ken Duke was diagnosed with scoliosis and wore a back brace 23 hours a day. Duke had surgery two years later and had a 16-inch metal rod attached to his spine that still remains today. He tees off at 16:25 BST.

Seventh grade translates to year eight and 12-13 years old on this side of the pond by the way.

-3 Blixt (Swe) after 12; -2 K. Stadler (US) 13, Manassero (Ita) 4; -1 Simpson (US) 6, Donaldson (Wal) 3

Selected others: E Fowler (US) after 6, Poulter (Eng) 7, McDowell (NI) 6, McIlroy (NI) 1; +2 Cabrera (Arg) 7, +3 Lynn (Eng) 10, Z. Johnson (US) 5.

Latest leaderboard in full, external and tee times

Rory McIlroy departs the first green with a par-four, as have American playing partners Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth.

At one end of the leaderboard Kevin Stadler is back to two under and a share of second place after a birdie, while dad Craig has reached the turn in a less impressive six over.

BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter on who he thinks will win the Masters.

Winner: Rory McIlroy. We all know he is capable of winning majors, and now he is ready to make the most of the talents that are tailor made for Augusta.

Image source, Reuters

Big week: Hideki Matsuyama. One of the most talented youngsters out there and has won the amateur prize here. I was really impressed with him saying he is not here just to play at the Masters, he is here to compete at the Masters. Of a generation of highly promising players, he is one that should not be forgotten.

Read more predictions from the experts.

As well as your golfing souvenirs, let's also hear about what novelty rule you introduce to professional golf, if only for one event.

Be it mulligans on the first to help out the nervy drivers, press-ups to punish three-putts, or 'power-play' holes where any stroke advantage gained is doubled.

Whatever you think would liven up the rulebook, we'll be happy to hear it.

We are on 81111 for texts from UK mobiles, #bbcgolf on Twitter, external and BBC Sport on the old Facebook., external

Dreams can come true, even for some amateur golfers. Insurance executive Michael McCoy, who tees off at 16:14 BST, was 50 years old and playing in his 38th USGA event without a title before he won the US Mid-Amateur Championship at the CC of Birmingham, which provided him with qualification for the 2014 event.

Bob from Sutton Coldfield: I was a Marshall at the 2002 Ryder Cup at the belfry and caught a champagne cork fired by Sam Torrance after Paul McGinley sank the winning putt on the 18th green.

Image source, AP

Striding down the first right now though is American Kevin Streelman.

The 35-year-old made the dreams of one local teenager come true on Wednesday when he provided free tickets to them, via Twitter, after his parent's ill health meant they couldn't attend the golf yesterday. You can read the full story here., external

Stand back, this could go anywhere.

There are some big hitters and big names lining up in the clubhouse preparing to take their first swings at the Augusta National.

Here are some of the tee-times to look out for.

Louis Oosthuizen at 1720 BST

Bubba Watson and Luke Donald at 18:15 BST

Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose at 18:48 BST

Lee Westwood at 18:59 BST.

So McIlroy's trip down the first fairway means that about half of the first-round groups are out on the course. I'm off to find myself a golfing souvenir, leaving Mike Henson on the tee.

Greg Galvin:, external Got my 2011 Royal St George's Friday ticket signed by the winner Darren Clarke.

Andrew Soar:, external I've still got Kenny Dalglish' Dunlop 65 ball from a testimonial in the 70's either a charity or a testimonial for a Rams player.

Hugh McDavid:, external A signed ball from Woody Austin at Oak Hill in August, hit me in the crotch from his tee shot. He went on to get his par!

On the tee from Northern Ireland...Rory McIlroy. The world number nine and double major winner begins his quest for a first Green Jacket in the company of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. Webb Simpson, who went off like a train, has double bogeyed the par-four fifth to slide back to one under and lose his share of the lead. Sweden's Jonas Blixt leads alone on three under.

Hazel Irvine, BBC television Masters presenter:

Winner: Jason Day. I have thought for some weeks he is going to be in contention, although his thumb injury is unfortunate. He loves Augusta and was tied third last year and had a chance to win, but I think he will have learned from that and will be better for it.

Image source, Reuters

Big week: Brandt Snedeker. He has been in the last group here twice in six years and had it not been for the rain, which really affected him, he could have done well. I think he is destined to win the Masters one day. Zach Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama are also ones to watch.

Read more predictions from the experts.

The last four major championships that Tiger Woods has missed through injury have been won by Irishmen (Padraig Harrington won the Open and US PGA in 2008, Rory McIlroy claimed the 2011 US Open and Darren Clarke won the Open in the same year).

Golf writer Dave Shedloski, external has revealed on his Twitter feed that it takes an average of 6.1 starts before a player wins his first Masters event. Two men making their sixth starts this week are Rory Mcllroy and Ryan Moore.

Share your views using #bbcgolf or on the BBC Sport Facebook page, external whether McIlroy will win this week.

Derek Leggott from Cheshire: I got hit on my back by a stray drive by Branden Grace at the Open two years ago. He was very apologetic though and gave me a signed glove, ever since then I always follow how he's doing. Lets go Branden!

Jeremy from Penn: I leapt like a salmon to catch a ball thrown into crowd by this years Ryder Cup captain McGinley as he and Harrington lost the afternoon foursomes at the 16th at the K Club in 2006. A great bit of Ryder Cup memorabilia.

Paul from Eastbourne: I was on holiday in Michigan a few years back and went to watch a PGA event near Detroit..was walking down the 13th only for a ball to land near me...i waited for the owner...who happened to be Justin Rose and we proceeded to have a conversation as i was wearing an England soccer shirt..I followed him rest of round.....

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Augusta National

Watching Rory McIlroy at the range. Dressed in a white/ grey/orange shirt combo and black strides, he's at the far left end, stroking long irons into the sapphire sky.

Caddie JP and coach Michael Bannon look on. No sign of McIlroy's new best mate Dan Carter. He bumped into the All Blacks legend in the gym the other day and introduced himself. Like Carter wouldn't know who he was.

I'm about to note down how McIlroy is striking the ball so well, when he actually "schlaffs" one, as my old man used to call it. And he called it a lot, playing with me. But it's a blip and McIlroy fires a series of slow-rising, high peaking irons before switching to a red fairway wood.

Some he hits with a little draw, others a fade. Some fly on a wire straight at the gleaming white water tower at the far end. A few booming drivers to finish fly towards South Carolina and are probably still going. At 1030, McIlroy heads teewards.