Charley Hoffman swings violently on this 18th. This is the second-hardest hole on the course today. The par four averaging 4.45 strokes. His ball ends up in the first cut, wide left.

If he gets in the clubhouse at seven under in these conditions he's had the round of his life.

Hoff won his last PGA Tour event in April 2016. He's won four in all but they were spread over nine years. This is a new level.

Image source, Getty Images

A solid putt from the back of the 15th green from Rory McIlroy. Straight in the middle of the cup.

How big a birdie could that be? He's still eight shots behind Charley Hoffman though...

Defending champion Danny Willett on shooting a one-over-par 73 after starting with a double bogey and bogey:  "Battling back from three over even if it was flat and calm round this place would have been great. 

"We gathered ourselves after probably the worst start we could have wished for. I've not seen the leaderboard but 73 won't be miles away. It seemed like a good score today.

On returning to the scene of his greatest triumph for the first time: "The memories came flooding back. To be anywhere defending a title is incredible but to be here at Augusta National is amazing - at least once in your life, but it would be nice to do it a couple of times. 

"It is a shame the weather has been tricky but it has been great."

Jay Townsend
BBC Radio 5 live at Augusta

Charley Hoffman is just lapping the field, there is only one player within four of the lead.

He is doing something that is unbelievable in today's conditions. Charley is playing a golf course that everyone else is wondering what is going on.

Golf is a funny old game. Lee Westwood fires up the middle of 17. His swing is well oiled, it's good. An hour ago he was as hot as an ice cube. Golf is a funny old game.

On that note, Charley Hoffman is up on the green with three feet left for a four-shot lead. You know where it's going. This 40-year-old was hardly on too many people's hot list this morning but my word, he's "sick" as the youth of today would say.

Image source, Reuters

Rory McIlroy lays up short of the pond protecting the par-five 15th green and fires his wedge straight over the pin. He'll have 15 feet left.

Jon Rahm is down the left side of the fairway in two and his wedge is off the fairway and he gets more action on the ball, spinning it back past the hole. 

Big birdie chances coming up

Action! Big action!

Charley Hoffman could nail a four-shot lead here on 17, his iron is sublime and a touch of back spin leaves him a few feet away from the cup.

Sergio Garcia will seek birdie after that super tee shot on 16...nope. Stays above ground from just five feet. Lee Westwood makes no mistake - he moves to one under. He was three over after nine!

Shane Lowry going the other way - three putts again. Sinful. Bogey.

Jay Townsend
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at Augusta

Rory McIlroy has holed out as well as I have seen him in a long time. He has made some wonderful putts. 

He is hanging in there. A player of his ability, besides Charley Hoffman, he will be right there when the conditions soften at the weekend. He will be able to hit the ball higher, not have to worry about the wind and he will be a seriously dangerous player.

Listen to Jay now by clicking 'live coverage'.

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onsideVIEW:  "Look,Look! It's Dustin Johnson trying to negotiate those steps!"

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Pin seekers. 

Sergio Garcia zones in on this 16th pin and both are having their own closest to the pin competition - around five feet left for both men. Shane Lowry has tough acts to follow and his ball lands 25ft from the pin, he looks disgusted, almost upstaged. And he's got one of the quickest putts at Augusta coming up.

Bubba Watson, using all the knowledge acquired from being a two-time Masters winner, flicks a short iron on to the back of the 13th green and allows the contours to feed the ball back towards the pin.

He can't make the 20-foot eagle putt but drains the birdie to get back to two over.

He's not wrong...

Image source, Reuters

Rory McIlroy, from the centre of the fairway on the par-four 14th, it's right on line but checks early and wanders off to the right. It keeps on wandering and Rory raises his hands in frustration. It's just not happening for the Northern Irishman out there.

He's left with a long, slow uphiller and he doesn't hit it. Should be a straightforward par.

Jon Rahm from a similar distance. Has he learnt anything about the speed? Yes he has, but it still puts the brakes on. 

Charley Hoffman playing his own game right now. On the 16th, a picture of a par three, he paints a masterpiece with his tee shot and rolls home from around five feet. Out comes his scorebook and out comes the pen. Chalk down a two chief, that was superb.

Image source, Getty Images

There are a few fireworks on show in this Lowry-Garcia-Westwood grouping.

Shane Lowry lays up on the par five and wedges poorly, almost finding the drink. A long birdie putt left and again he doesn't give it enough. A tester for par remains...NO. Talk about giving shots away!

Lee Westwood - a 25ft eagle attempt...leaves about five feet for birdie... yes. He gets some reward for that super second into this green.

Sergio Garcia somehow chipped from wide of this green to within 10ft. A magic touch and the putt deserved to go in but puts the brakes on...par only.

Bubba booms his tee shot down the par-five 13th. His pink ball soars over the trees designed to stop you cutting the corner. Despite its lurid colour, the camera loses it. Try looking a bit closer to the green, he's hit sand wedge into there before.

Up ahead on the par-five 15th and England's Lee Westwood has a chance of getting into red figures. He drills a fairway wood over the pond to about 25 feet. It will be fast. It will bend. But it's a chance to win a pair of crystal glasses.

Iain Carter
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at Augusta

"You can see the annoyance in his mannerisms."

Three putts for Danny Willett on 18 bring up bogey and a round of one over. You can listen to more from Iain by clicking 'live coverage'.

Keep the captions coming to #bbcgolf.

Thsi 15th hole has seen Louis Oosthuizen take an eight, Jordan Spieth take a nine, yet Charley Hoffman is in for birdie four.

That was a long putt, some 15-20ft but he judges the break and length perfectly. His right fist is raised and three subtle punches signal joy.

Image source, Getty Images