Adam Scott again fails to do the business on the green of a par five, having to settle for par on 16. Miguel Angel Jiminez, who will play in his first senior event next week, is in sand on the 18th. At the same hole, Bill Haas's second shot is sublime. He has a five-foot putt for a 68 and the clubhouse lead.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Augusta National

Fred Couples says he is not here as a "sacrificial lamb" and believes a 50-year-old can still win the Masters.

The laid-back American, 54, who won the Green Jacket in 1992, has been a fixture high up on Masters leaderboards in the early rounds in recent years and shot a one-under 71 to continue the trend.

"I'm happy with what I've shot. Can a 50-year-old win here? I think so. But it is hard, for me personally to play day after day four solid rounds. But my goal is to compete with these guys.

"I'm not here just to play golf. I love the course, I'd say my 71 is in pretty darn good shape. It's drying out pretty quickly and it will be difficult tomorrow."

We're just under an hour away from the Radio 5 live team taking the airwaves from Augusta. Under cloudless blue skies, we're still waiting for the first sub-70 round of the day, but that could change very soon. Darren Clarke, looking very slender in yellow, has hit Amen Corner.

James Bamford:, external Can't beat the Masters for getting in the mood for the golf season. Come on the Europeans!

Andrew Lambert:, external Usually my ideal job switches between footballer or a Top Gear presenter. But right now, I'd take golf correspondent at the Masters.

Haas, now the co-leader, is taking his salmon trousers down the 18th. Phil Mickleson, back in black, has his mouth agog after missing a birdie putt at four.

The leader is out in front alone no longer. Bill Haas, for so long the sole man on four under, has missed a par putt from the edge of the 17th green, just sliding past the hole on the left. That leaves us with a three-way tie for the lead, with Haas, Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen and Brandt Snedeker all three under. That's some quartet.

Par three, 240 yards

The longest par three on the course can be made more difficult by some deceptive winds. The green slopes back-to-front, and is protected by two deep bunkers.

2013 average: 3.39 Rank: 1

Image source, Getty Images

Justin Rose has not started well. Dressed in mostly Manchester City sky blue, the US Open champion has double bogeyed the par-four third to slide to three over. He, Phil Mickleson and Ernie Els are heading to four.

Image source, AP

More shenanigans just behind leader Bill Haas. A second successive birdie for Brandt Snedeker - he for whom the putter can become a magic wand - on 16 takes him to within a shot of the lead on three under. Adam Scott, who double bogeyed 12, gets one back on 14 to also it three happy of par.

Jay Townsend, BBC Radio 5 live golf analyst.

Winner: Sergio Garcia. He's been playing really well, putting the best of his life lately. On top of that, he's never won a significant event when Tiger Woods has been in the field. I think there is a great chance Sergio will take advantage of Tiger's absence through injury in the way that Padraig Harrington did to win three majors.

Big week: Matt Kuchar. He kind of threw a tournament away last week and he kind of threw one away two weeks ago, too, but he's playing well and will go close. The guy that would have been my pick is Jason Day. He's done well at Augusta in the past and is a major championship contender but he has had a thumb injury. He hasn't played since winning the Match Play so he is a question mark.

Read more predictions from the experts.

Craig Harper:, external Aah the Masters... The weekend when, every year and without fail, I renew my aspiration to turn pro.

Kevin Lyons:, external Jimenez. This is your year. Forget the Rioja tonight. This is your destiny! Vamos Miguel! Or, Rory. A Rory win would be good too.

Charlie Hoyland:, external Backing Sergio Garcia at every major for the last couple of years is becoming very expensive, do a job Serg.

Who's on the move? Louis Oosthuizen (who I'm told pronounces his name West-High-Zen) birdies nine to go to three under, one behind leader Bill Haas. Haas has played par golf through 14, 15 and 16. Brandt Snedeker has moved up to two under, but Scotland's Stephen Gallacher has dropped back from three under to two under.

You know when you imagine perfection at Augusta? Sun beating down on carpets fairways, the greens like billiard tables, light reflecting off still waters, patrons reverential in green folding chairs at the golfing cathedral? That is exactly the scene right now.

Jimmy Jazz:, external Stephen Gallacher from my home town club, Bathgate, only club in world to be home club of 2 Ryder Cup captains. Got 225/1.

Par four, 440 yards

The only bunkerless hole on the course, but danger comes in the shape of a contoured green. If the drive is well-placed, then a mid-iron approach may be all that is needed. However, the significant left-to-right drop of the putting surface can lead to three putts, even from close range.

2013 average: 4.10 Rank: 12

Image source, Getty Images

If Jason Dufner's 13th-hole score had come through on the vidiprinter it would have said: Dufner 9 (nine). He and Scott are heading for 14. Phil Mickelson has parred the second as Justin Rose takes bogey to go to one over. In the same group, Ernie Els has bogeyed the opening two holes.

At the scene of Dufner's shocker, Adam Scott has three-putted on the par-five 13th to take par and remain on two under, two behind leader Bill Haas. It turns out it wasn't quite as bad as we thought for Jason Dufner, but still pretty horrendous. The US PGA champion has taken a nine (yes, nine) at the 13th for a quadruple bogey. He is out to seven over and his Masters challenge looks already cooked.

Jason Dufner is having an absolute nightmare on 13. Putting down the marble staircase, he has gone from behind the green and towards Rae's. He tried to play out, failed. Took a drop, duffed it (sorry) and is now back somewhere near where he started at the back of the green. At the minute, we think he's taken at least eight and is still at least two more from picking his ball up.

Now then, is King Louis at it again? South African Oosthuizen, he of the albatross and play-off defeat in 2012, has birdied the eighth to move to two under, two off the lead. Jimmy Walker, the form player on the PGA Tour, has birdied 14, 15, 16 and 17 to go from two over to two under.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport at Augusta National

Image source, Reuters

US Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson says he has been busy scouting potential team members at Augusta ahead of September's match at Gleneagles in Scotland.

Two-time Masters champion Watson said: "I played a practise round with Jimmy Walker, he's a wonderful player. I had a chance to sit down with a number of players and that's good. I get a chance to get to know them, it gives them a chance to get to know me."

Watson, who will meet up with European counterpart Paul McGinley this week, said on Tuesday Tiger Woods will definitely be in his team, if fit.

"I'll pick him," Watson said. "I just hope he gets well and starts to play well again without pain. That's all that matters."