Thomas Pieters and Rickie Fowler both drift left with their tee-shots on the long par-three fourth...the Belgian escaping much lighter than his American pal.

Pieters dinks on from the grass to a foot or so, but Fowler is eating sand and has to plot a way out.

He ends up seven foot past the pin, sinking his putt to join Pieters in walking off with a three.

Is this the dream? Some reading material, the smell of green grass and of course, golf.

Image source, Reuters

Scrap that. This is the dream.

Image source, Reuters

It's not a day for disappearing...

The par-three sixth is causing Justin Rose a problem or two. He's hooked it wide of the dancefloor and uses a delicate broomstick to sweep the ball onto the surface. Not great, a real tester for par. Nudges it towards the hole in the ground and the ball practically cuddles the cup before rejecting it. Bogey.

Sergio Garcia and Charley Hoffman open up outside birdie chances on three.

World number three Jason Day is back in the clubhouse after carding an early 69 and the Australian reckons there is the scope for some low numbers out on Augusta today.

"I had a nice stretch from 12 through to 15 so that definitely helped me," he says on BBC Two. 

"I was playing some solid golf but not capitalizing on the opportunities I gave myself.

"It was still difficult out there but it is getting warmer and drying things out. Things are running more so you  will have to have a good touch around the green.

"Scores are out there if you play well."

Simon King
BBC weather presenter and meteorologist

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After the bad thunderstorms and strong winds earlier in the week, the weather couldn't be much quieter for the second half of the Masters. Light winds, sunshine and warming up, perfect weather for golf!

Image source, Rex Features

Paul Casey is demonstrating the comparative low scoring that is available out there today. He has just birdied the 13th and 14th to go into red numbers. His birdie on 14 a long, long putt.

Rickie Fowler has the eyebrows of a Thunderbirds character. Maybe that's why he is wearing a pair of sky blue trousers which would not look out of place on Tracey Island.

Talking of blue - he's blue in the face. Fowler fails to make a green in reg on the par-four third, then tries to be too clever with his chip on. 

Augusta gobbles that one as it spits the ball back to his feet. Try again.

That Fowler does, then knocks in a tricky 12-footer for a bogey. The American loses the lead but it could have been much worse...

Sergio Garcia with a clip - delicious sound - on the second. He's close to the green, going over a bunker with his third shot on this tame par five. Nicely judged and he will have six feet to go. Charley Hoffman is in said bunker and uses the bucket and spade expertly to get in even closer.

Garcia can't convert, the turn in the putt never came. Hoffman... pops it home. HE WILL LEAD BECAUSE OVER ON THREE...

Fancy watching a wedge shot holed from the fairway. Here you go then, courtesy of Kevin Chappell on the seventh.

Image source, Rex Features

American Brandt Snedeker has just finished what is his best round by far at this Masters. He has moved from +5 to +2 with a bogey-free 69.

Birdies at the first, 10th and 13th have lifted him inside the top 20 on the leaderboard.

Snedeker's best result here was tied for third in 2008. It'll take a monumental effort from him on the final day to match that.

The patrons are whooping and hollering over on the par-three sixth. Why? Because Jordan Spieth has landed a monster putt. His first birdie of the day lifts him into tied eighth.

Moments later, Jon Rahm's engine stalls. He needs three stabs with the putter on the par-three fourth to drop his first shot today.

Image source, Getty Images

Oh no Rory. The tee shot on seven pushes him right, he forces things a little and ends up in a greenside bunker. A nice chip needed but it comes out fast and hot, skidding across the green to an adjacent state almost. He will have a put the length of maybe three elephants for par.

This needs to go close... it doesn't, still the length of a baby elephant to go for bogey. Misses. Double. Big problems.

Andy Stevenson:  Please God, let me be just a smidgen like Gary Player when I'm his age.

Billstraightener:  Gary Player is an absolute legend.  

It seems many of you loved the Gary Player appearance. Keep in touch with us tonight on #bbcgolf.

He can! Rickie Fowler, searching for his first major remember, is out on his own at the top of the leaderboard.

The American sinks an almost identical putt to the one dispatched by playing partner Thomas Pieters.

Ringo we love you! Come back! Thomas Pieters is reunited with the Fab Four.

The lanky Belgian knocks in from three feet on two to wipe out that opening bogey.

Can Rickie Fowler follow suit...

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People love bashing Sergio's putting but it's rock solid on one to save par from around eight feet. A slow one, downhill, middle of the cup. Charley Hoffman also makes par having found the bunker off the tee.

The second hole is just donating shots to players today. William McGirt and Ryan Moore get the hob done there for birdie. Moore played it superbly. Drive, lay-up, wedge to five feet, conversion.

Choo choo! Jon Rahm is on board the Birdie Express.

The 22-year-old Spaniard moves into a share of fourth place, one shot off the lead, with his second birdie in the opening three holes.

Ladies and gentleman, we have a mover.

Jordan Spieth continues to trade blows with his Augusta opponent, neither managing to land a blow. Five straight pars for the Texan.

Phil Mickelson eyes up his birdie attempt...he's lagged it. Rule number one: don't leave it short. He settles for a par.