Ornithology is something all golfers are interested in. Paul Casey eyes up an eagle, but only spots a birdie on the second. 

The Englishman is moving.

Rory rocking pink today.

Yesterday he had rose-coloured pants on. Combine the two next year Rors and we really will have a picture.

You have to be a good golfer to pull off white pants. To be fair, he is.

A solid birdie on the second hole, two putts do the job on this par five. A 387-yard drive set the tone.

Image source, Getty Images

No one had birdied the last four holes to win the Masters in 75 years until Charl Schwartzel did.

He may need something similar today. But he is short of the first green after his second shot.

Image source, .

This is extraordinary. Russell Henley pings in his second from 185 yards on the par-four fifth - damaging the hole in the process.

A couple of greenkeepers armed with tools and a hole-cutter race to the scene, unable to rescued the injured can. A new hole, about a foot to the side of the original, is cut.

A great day for a spot of gardening.

Iain Carter
BBC Radio 5 live at Augusta

Rose has served his time for a green jacket. He shared second place in 2015, was fifth in 2007, eighth in 2012 and tenth last year. In the 80 Masters to date the title has been won by a third round leader 43 times and another positive omen for Rose and Sergio Garcia is that the final pairing has spawned the champion in 22 of the last 27 tournaments. 

"Two tidy fours on the opening hole," says Peter Allis on BBC One.

Lee Westwood and Thomas Pieters make their pars, both lagging long putts to within tap-in distance.

Solid stuff.

Alistair Bruce-Ball
Radio 5 live commentator at Augusta

Looking back at Thursday's edition of the local paper, the Augusta Chronicle, they did a poll of 83 golf journalists, American and international, and not one of them tipped Justin Rose to win the tournament. 

Fred Couples, Soren Kjeldsen, Bill Haas all got a mention but not Rose who shares the lead going into the final day.

Jordan Spieth was the top pick though.

As we've been saying, Seve Ballesteros would have been 60 today. We want to know your best memories of the great man. Did you meet him? Did he inspire you? What has he done for this sport?

Tweet #bbcgolf.

Birdie, birdie, bogey, birdie. Fred Couples's opening scene is almost as good as the one in Trainspotting. The original, not the remake -obviously.

The second oldest swinger in town (Larry Mize is the oldest fella in the field) is two under for the day, one under overall.

Thomas Pieters has a touch of luck on the first, blitzing his ball off the tee and into trees, only to get a lucky ricochet back into the fairway. He finds the green to set up a long birdie putt.

Lee Westwood is alongside him. I think he's gone for the lucky Danny Willett look of last year - green top, white trousers. Westy hits the green for two, a long birdie chance too.

Iain Carter
BBC Radio 5 live at Augusta

Victory for Justin Rose would make him the 82nd player to have won multiple major titles.  Following on from Danny Willett in 2016, he would make it the first time two different Englishmen had won the same major in consecutive years since 1939, when Dick Burton succeeded Reg Whitcombe as Open champion. A win for the 2013 US Open victor could take him to number 7 in the world rankings.    

The first was the hardest hole to beat on the opening day. But it is getting easier. A nice little confidence-booster instead of a confidence-sapper. 

Paul Casey knocks his approach on the par four to within five feet. He's whiffing the sweet smell of a birdie.

Missed. A par will have to do.

Image source, .

By the time I'd made this graphic, Rory McIlroy had lamped one 387 yards off the second tee. Frankly that's disgusting.

He has 53ft left for eagle.

Another British hopeful has started striding down the first fairway. What a feeling lacing your ball down the middle is. Paul Casey knows what that is like right now.

The man who is trying to convert four previous top-10 finishes at Augusta into a Green Jacket is up and running.

Image source, Rex Features

Our main contenders are starting to appear bit by bit. Anyone else getting a little too excited?

Rory McIlroy powers a ball 346 yards off the tee. Mr Muscle. 

It's into the trees so he has to battle for par and makes two putts to stay at level.

Is this Ernie Els's goodbye? Quite possibly.

The four-time major winner, whose exemption at Augusta expires this year, waves to the galleries behind the 18th green on what the 47-year-old knows could be his final appearance here. 

Looks like the South African is getting a touch emotional. Who can blame him. 

Image source, Getty Images

Tommy Pearson: Imagine if Garcia wins #masters2017, external on Seve's 60th? Wouldn't need sprinklers on the course for a while! #tears, external

GCtiger07: Loving #masters2017, external Sunday. With that weather almost looks like it could be in the U.K. today  

Paul Azinger
1993 PGA Championship winner from Augusta

Sergio Garcia has got to want it the most. He has got to be the most determined. He has the most demons and the biggest cross to bear. It is a mental game for him today.