Ian Poulter whips it off the peg on the first tee.

A decent crack, but it is not as accurate as it is long.

The Englishman has found the front of the bunker on the left edge of the fairway.

A bit of work to do there to make par...

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Augusta National

Image source, Getty Images

The Augusta National has, of course, developed a way of dealing with the heavy downpours that can hit this part of the southern US.

Huge storm drains are all over the course, while a cool sub-air system sits deep below the fairways.

It's essentially a giant vacuum cleaner. It can either suck moisture out of the ground or it can be flipped in the other direction and push air from below the playing surface. As you wander around the course you'll hear the hum of the system in operation.

The course was exceptionally wet after heavy rain on Monday and Tuesday, and while it dried well through Wednesday and Thursday, it's still soft in places and now getting softer by the minute.

Image source, Reuters

As the traffic queues on the roads into Augusta, some of the town's year-round residents are heading in the opposite direction.

With a pocketful of cash to spend.

Patrick Patterson has a property a third of a mile from the course to capitalize on the rental opportunities offered by the annual tournament.

His three bedroom place was on offer for £762 a night.

“It’s just a good investment,” he said. “It’s really a supply and demand issue.”

Apparently commuting times treble during the tournament as well. No-brainer.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Augusta National

Image source, Getty

So, who will the damp conditions favour?

The soft fairways would suggest it's a bomber's paradise, so step forward Rory McIlroy who led the average drive distance charts in round one with a whopping 324.2 yards.

But would you swap length for accuracy? Rory hit only seven of 14 fairways, while joint leader Brooks Koepka, who averaged 311 yards, hit 12.

Koepka is second behind England's Ian Poulter in hitting the greens in regulation stats - Poults being the only man to hit 16 as he posted a four-under 68..

The other man leading at six under, mad scientist Bryson DeChambeau, is one of four to top the putting charts, having taken just 25 yesterday. However, he was helped by an incredible finish where he had tap-in birdies on 16 and 18 and a chip-in birdie on 17.

Image source, Getty

There is life in the late middle-aged dog yet.

Bernhard Langer, cashing in his right to play after victories in Augusta in 1985 and 1993, is back to two under and a tie for 11th after birdieing the par-four first.

The 61-year-old has been in decent nick on the seniors circuit, with a first, joint second, third joint and joint fifth finish in four tournaments this year.

Image source, EPA

Dustin Johnson went round in 68, four under par, to leave himself a couple of shots back from joint leaders Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka. So basically pretty well placed in his search for a first major championship since 2016.

"The conditions and pin positions were tough," he said.

"But I drove well and really had control of the golf ball and distance wise I was hitting it where I wanted to which gave me a few good looks at birdies.

"They had the course set-up pretty tough. You had to play good shots to get close. I’m very confident with my form and that’s the biggest thing around here."

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Augusta National

Image source, Getty

It's a damp start at Augusta National. The rain has returned and is currently soaking those out on the range preparing for round two.

The rain is set to stay with us all day, which is not really the issue. The problem is if the forecast late afternoon thunderstorms swing by.

Masters organisers are quick to stop play and evacuate the course if there is a threat of lightning. And with more of the same predicted for Saturday and Sunday, some of the more experienced hacks are already suggesting we could have a first Monday finish since 1983.

Image source, Getty Images

Ian Poulter's tee time is a little less half an hour away.

The 43-year-old is still hunting a first major, with a second-place finish at the 2008 Open at Royal Birkdale his best so far.

Could this be the one where the postman finally steps away from his Ryder Cup round to deliver at one of the big four?

He birdied three of the last six holes to fire a four-under par 68 and share fourth with second-ranked Dustin Johnson overnight.

"My whole game was together, from the first hole to the 18th hole," Poulter said. "I'm very happy with today's work. It's a great start to a long week."

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Augusta National

It's so wet out there that two-time champion Bernhard Langer is keeping his caddie dry under their umbrella as they stroll from the range/

The 1985 and 1993 winner hit a one-under 71 on Thursday.

There are birdies out there amid the gloom though. Scotland's Sandy Lyle, who was first out today, has just got back to level par for the tournament with a four on the par-five second.

And in the second group out, Martin Kaymer has birdied the first two holes to also limbo down to one under

Brooks Koepka was asked whether he needed to embark on a fitness drive to look good in a calendar shoot given he was already in pretty trim shape.

“Not going there. The purple thong was enough for me,” he said.

Which is an answer that prompts more questions.

Image source, Getty

Losing 25lbs, about 11kgs, would earn a round of applause at your local slimming group.

It turns out that doing so on the PGA Tour is to invite more catty comments than a Saturday night talent show panel.

Brooks Koepka's recent weight loss, reportedly motivated by a forthcoming calendar shoot, was described by one commentator prior to this week, external as “most reckless self-sabotage that I have ever seen of an athlete in his prime.”

Koepka, buoyed by yesterday's six-under opening round, shrugged off that criticism.

"I'm too big to play golf, and then when I lose weight, I'm too small. I'm gonna do what makes me happy. Seems to be working," he said.

Image source, Getty

Rory McIlroy was a touch nonplussed after his opening round at Augusta National.

I mean come on who really wants to finish bogey-bogey...?

The Northern Irishman has a big task ahead today to get himself back in contention for a career grand slam of major championships.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Augusta National

Go to Augusta National, they said. The weather will be beautiful. Warm spring Georgia sunshine. I've seen it on the TV, year after year after year.

Er...maybe on Wednesday.

Today it is absolutely hammering it down and the forecast is for it to stay the same all day.

Still, at least I'm safe and warm in the new media centre, which overlooks the driving range and hordes of patrons huddled under umbrellas, watching their favourite golfers occasionally emerge from under their umbrella to smash a drive towards me.

And at least it's not The Open media tent which bends and buckles and creaks and groans - although I do love that too, because it is just so British.

Not quite sure who you fancy following around yet? Well if you need a quick heads up on Friday tee times we've got it covered here.

But I've also taken the time to drop in a few below to look out for later:

14:58 Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter (Eng), Matt Kuchar

15:42 Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day (Aus)

15:53 Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose (Eng), Justin Thomas

18:38 Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Xander Schauffele, Gary Woodland

18:49 Tiger Woods, Haotong Li (Chn), Jon Rahm (Spn)

19:00 Rory McIlroy (NI), Rickie Fowler, Cameron Smith (Aus)

(US unless stated)

Image source, Getty Images

The first group out this morning - Americans Patton Kizzire and Michael Kim and Scotland's Sandy Lyle - are just making their way off the first green. Kizzire has dropped a shot to slip to one under, Lyle and Kim with pars to stay at one over and four over respectively.

Let's have a little look at who else you need to set your alerts for...

Image source, Getty

If you can't remember how thing stood at the end of the first round this may help a touch.

Alternatively you can always have a quick look here for a fuller picture.

-6 B DeChambeau (US), B Koepka (US)

-5 P Mickelson (US)

-4 I Poulter (Eng), D Johnson (US)

-3 J Harding (SA), A Scott (Aus), J Rahm (Spa), K Kisner (US), K Aphibarnrat (Tha)

-2 L Bjerregaard (Den), C Conners (Can), J.B. Holmes (US), G Woodland (US), T Woods (US), R Fowler (US), C Smith (Aus), P Kizzire (US), J Day (Aus), F Molinari (Ita)

Selected others:

-1 T Finau (US), T Fleetwood (Eng),L Oosthuizen (SA), T Olesen, (Den) B Langer, (Ger)

E H Li (Chn), B Watson (US)

+1 R McIlroy (NI), S Garcia (Spa), P Reed (US), S Lyle (Sco), T Hatton (Eng)

+2 E Pepperell (Eng), H Stenson (Swe)

+3 D Willett (Eng) M Wallace (Eng), J Rose (Eng), J Spieth (US), M Wallace (Eng)

+8 I Woosnam (Wal)

+9 P Casey (Eng)

It was the American duo Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka who came out best from the first day's tear-up in Georgia.

They are sat pretty at the top of the leaderboard on six under.

England's Ian Poulter is the best placed European, two shots back, while Tiger Woods is not too far off the pace at two under.

World number one Justin Rose and career grand slam-chaser Rory McIlroy both have more work to do than a student on dissertation deadline day.

Read more about it here.

Image source, Getty Images

Ding, ding. Seconds out. Second round.

Time for the world's best golfers to climb off the stool and go toe-to-toe with the prettiest, trickiest heavyweight course in the calendar.