Postpublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
McIlroy +1 (2)
...he's missed it. Rory McIlroy's birdie putt slides past port-side. As he was.
Summary
Americans Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau lead Masters on -6 after first round at Augusta
48-year-old Phil Mickelson birdies last to reach -5
Poulter leading European on -4 alongside USA's Dustin Johnson
Scott & Rahm -3, Wood & Fowler -2, Fleetwood -1
McIlroy two bogeys at end to finish +1
Champion Reed +1, Rose & Spieth +3, Casey +9
Postpublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Tiger on the movepublished at 16:55 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
American golf journalist Jason Sobel has obviously been looking at who offers a bit of value in the betting system stateside.
Four-time champion Tiger Woods makes one birdie and his odds on winning come Sunday reduce dramatically.
In the UK, Woods is about 14/1 to win the whole shebang as things stand.
Image source, @JasonSobelITANPostpublished at 16:51 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
McIlroy +1 (1)
Right then, Rory. Here's your chance to wipe out that opening bogey. Our Grand Slam seeker is just short of the dancefloor in two on the par-five second, knocking on with a wedge and leaving himself with a seven-foot putt for a birdie...
Exit sandmanpublished at 16:48 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Back in 2012, patron Clayton Baker attempted to sneak a sample of the bunker sand from Augusta National as a souvenir.
It did not end well for him.
Augusta's strict rulespublished at 16:44 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Image source, Getty ImagesDefying the strict Augusta rules isn't worth the consequences. I mean, do you really want to risk being booted out of one of the great sporting events? Of course not.
But if you find yourself reaching for your mobile phone out of habit then you must resist the urge...
Committing any of these 'offences' could result in you being shown the exit gate...
- Taking out your phones and/or camera to take a prized snap
- Running to get ahead of the crowd to see your favourite golfer
- Lying down on the carpet-like grass for a rest/well-earned snooze
- Wearing your baseball cap backwards
McIlroy hits woods on firstpublished at 16:43 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Augusta National
Image source, ReutersMembers of the media, or the patrons for that matter, are not allowed to take mobile phones out on the course. The penalty? Ejection from the Augusta National.
I went out to watch Rory McIlroy play the first. He leaked his drive out right into some trees. He attempted to thread a low one up towards the green but clattered into a tree and shot 90 degrees left, across the fairway and into rough. The chip and putt for par was beyond him though.
Woods birdies the second to move one underpublished at 16:41 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
What's that chugging sound in the background?
It is the Tiger Woods hype machine ramping up to full spin cycle.
The 14-time major winner splashes out of a greenside bunker and to within four feet on the second. He then sinks the putt to move one under after two.
Leaderboardpublished at 16:36 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
-2 J Harding (SA), X Schauffele (US), L Oosthuizen (SA)
-1 K Tway (US), A Wise (US), J.B. Holmes (US), T Kanaya (Jpn), L Bjerregaard (Den) T Fleetwood (Eng), B Grace (SA)
Selected others:
E E Pepperell (Eng), S Garcia (Spa), T Woods (US), H Stenson (Swe), P Reed (US), J Rahm (Spa)
+1 R McIlroy (NI), D Willett (Eng)
+3 I Woosnam (Wal)
McIlroy drops shot on firstpublished at 16:36 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Rory McIlroy's 17-footer on one was for par not, as previously reported, for birdie.
These mistakes will happen when you are following the action via a shot tracker...
Anyway, he left it six inches short. One over...
Woods on the secondpublished at 16:32 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Tiger Woods is hitting it long and true off the tee.
At the par-five second, he mashes a 340-yard drive down the runway. His second finds sand in a green-side bunker, but there is still a sniff of a birdie in the air.
The Pink Dogwood - Second holepublished at 16:29 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Par 5, 575 yards
Image source, Getty ImagesThe second hole at the Augusta National is aptly called the 'Pink Dogwood' after masses of colourful trees that flank it.
If you're a big hitter, and let's face it most professionals are these days, there's every chance of reaching this par 5, in two strokes.
If you don't want to take my word for it just remember South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen managed an incredible Albatross here in 2012.
As far as I can see the only slight issue is a couple of deep bunkers that require a bit of attention (to avoid) on the second shot.
McIlroy with long-range birdie chancepublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Rory McIlroy has a 17-foot shot at a birdie on the first after an admirable recovery from piling his drive into the trees that line the right-hand side of the fairway.
Pars for Woods and Fleetwood on 1stpublished at 16:23 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Tiger Woods and Tommy Fleetwood are both off the first green in regulation.
Next up on the teepublished at 16:19 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Rory McIlroy is aiming to take the win that would make him only the fourth player in the modern era to complete a career Grand Slam before the age of 30.
According to the number-crunchers at FiveThirtyEight, external this is "his Masters to lose".
Of course he has done that before.
Tea Olive - First holepublished at 16:11 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Par 4, 445 yards
Image source, Getty ImagesYou know what it's like when you pull the driver out on the first tee. A touch of nerves, excitement and that hope you connect cleanly and dispatch your ball smack down the middle of the fairway.
On this slight dogleg right that plays uphill that's exactly what's wanted. Anything left is in danger of catching the trees.
And the hole requires a precise second shot to an undulating green. A poorly struck approach leaves a tricky two-putt.
Woods under waypublished at 16:10 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Image source, GettyTiger Woods is off and running.
It is a cracking tee shot, cleaving the first fairway right down the middle.
Up ahead Tommy Fleetwood is up to within four feet with his third shot on the par -four opener.
'Augusta is a canvas'published at 16:02 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Media caption, Augusta is a canvas and it's magnificent - Ken on the course
Ken. Is. On. The. Course.
'Leadbetter is a great appointment'published at 15:57 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Anthony Wall
Two-time European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 livePatrick Reed is obviously struggling a little bit. I've always thought he does lack a bit of direction at times, in the way he plays and everything about his game.
I think David Leadbetter is a great appointment and I'm sure they will do well together.
The early pacesetterspublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
American Kevin Tway and Justin Harding are still in the leading two-under group through eight and six respectively but they are have new company.
Emiliano Grillo of Argentina is also up there.
-2 Tway (US) Harding (SA) Grillo (Arg)
-1 Wise (US), Kanaya (Jpn), Grace (SA), Pepperell (Eng), Stenson (Swe)
Can Leadbetter help Reed rediscover his mojo?published at 15:45 British Summer Time 11 April 2019
Image source, Getty ImagesWhat's happened to Patrick Reed since he held off Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler at Augusta last year? Not much really.
The American has not had a top-10 finish this year, leading to Justine - his former caddie and wife - texting legendary coach David Leadbetter to see if he could help.
Leadbetter, who worked with fellow Englishman Nick Faldo on his way to six major titles, said Reed had been "searching a little bit" and was "frustrated" having struggled with his ball striking in recent weeks.
Leadbetter added he liked Reed's swing and said it didn't need "major reconstruction", but seemed unsure how long the partnership would go on for.
“He was frustrated. He was a little lost," Leadbetter told the Independent.
"Before he was just guessing. He told me: ‘I didn’t have the answers. I hit two shots and they felt the same and I’d look up and one was going right and one was going left. I just had no control over the ball.’ Now, he has something concrete to work on.”