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0.30 And that's it from the first day of the 2009 Masters. Back again later today for Day Two.
0.28 McIlroy sinks a great putt to save par on the 18th to finish on a very respectable 72 for his Masters debut.
0.20 McIlroy and the last group hitting into 18th green as Day One comes to a close
0.19 Tiger drops one and finishes out for a first round 70.
0.11 Gent in the crowd stays in his seat until the Tiger arrives. Chance to meet Tiger Woods, I suppose. Tiger marks the ball and plots his escape.
0.10 Tiger overhits the 18th and flies into the seated area behind the green. Tiger throws his club at the bag in disgust.
0.01 Woods stays on three-under after missing from four feet on the 17th green. Defending champion Immelman finishes out on one-under, still very much incontention.
23.54 Birdie for McIlroy. Level par with two to play.
23.46 McIlroy hits a great 16th tee shot - birdie chance.
23.38 McIlroy chipping onto green on 15th - close to hole should set up a birdie opportunity. Not close enough and has to settle for par.
23.30 Defending champion Trevor Immelman birdies three in a row to go one-under. Tiger three-under on 16. Nails the green and sets up a birdie chance from about five yards.
23.24 Tiger hits an eagle putt just short on 15. Should get the birdie to move three-under.
23.20 Good McIlroy drive straight down the middle on the par five 15th.
23.15 McIlroy pars the 14th to stay on one-over.
23.06 Joint leader Mahan struggling after three shots on the final hole. Still off the green as he tries to save par.
23.03 Woods sinks a great birdie putt on 14 to go two-under.
22.46 Bogey bogey finish for Campbell and he goes into the clubhouse leading on seven-under after a very impressive 65.
22.44 Campbell has putt to level course record but flies past and will do well to make par. Tiger eagle putt on 13th - just short, should tap in for a birdie.
22.43 Campbell's second on the 18th from the bunker. Good shot from the sand for the leader. Tiger on 13th still trying to get under-par for the day.
22.40 Mahan birdies again to go seven-under, one shot off the lead.
22.29 McIlroy almosts chips in at the 11th - taps in for par.
22.17 Campbell in the bunker at 17 and ends up with a bogey to drop to eight-under. Hunter Mahan up to six-under with three to play.
22.07 Tiger hits a second shot from the trees on the 11th to the front oof the green, only a few yards from the pin. An awesome shot by Mr Woods from the woods.
22.05 McDowell just misses out on par putt and has to settle for an opening round three-under. Meanwhile, McIlroy drops back to one-over after bogey on 10th.
21.59 Chad Campbell is burning up the course on nine-under with three to play. Hits another sweet tee off on the 16th par three, just dropping over the top of the flag. Birdie chance.
21.55 McDowell in the bunker after two on the final hole.
21.50 McIlroy overshoots the green at the 10th and will do well to make par
21.45 McDowell drops a shot at 17 to drop back to four-under.
21.28 Graeme McDowell had a testing putt on 16 for birdie. He duly sank it and he's now five under.
21.24 Padraig Harrington was in rather pensive mood when he was interviewed by Shane O'Donoghue on the BBC. Apparently Shane can do a good impression of Harrington. But can Mr O'Donoghue do an impression of Tom Jones singing 'It's not Unusual' with a lisp.
21.23 Larry Mize, now a member of the seniors tour, shows he can mix it with the younger generation by posting a 67. Who will ever forget the play-off in '87 where he denied Greg Norman the Masters title.
21.22 NEW LEADER. Chad Campbell makes light of a tricky birdie putt on 13 and he is the man they all have to chase at seven under.
21.19 Graeme McDowell moves to within two of the field with a birdie on 15.
21.12 Tiger's birdie putt on nine strays away from the hole. He taps in for par, but he is not a happy camper.
21.03 Furyk soon had company as Chad Campbell birdied the 12th to move to six under. Rory McIlroy has played seven and remains at level par. Graeme McDowell remains at three under through 14, while Tiger Woods remains stuck on one over, playing the eighth.
21.00 At the top of the hour, Furyk finishes with a 66 - six under - a birdie blitz from 14 to 17 has him leading the Masters.
20.52 Ernie Els will be disappointed with a 75. Better news for Greg Norman, Bernhard Langer and Lee Westwood who all returned solid 70s.
20.46 Hunter Mahan moves into a share of second place with a birdie on 10, while Padraig Harrington finshes with a par and a closing 69 to lie three under after the first round. His round contained five birdies.
20.41 Tiger looks rather subdued. No fireworks yet, and a bogey at six drops him back to one over.
20.37 NEW LEADER - Furyk's burst through the pack has seen him notch another birdie on 17 to leave him looking down on the field at six under.
20.35 Defending champion Trevor Immelman has been in poor form of late and a birdie on six has repaired some of the damage done on four and five. He is currently level par.
20.30 Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy still can't get off level after fove and four holes respectively. Michael Campbell is in last position at the moment on eight over after his round ,while Raymond Floyd, who I mentioned earlier at the start of this tracker, finished one shot better.
20.24 Padraig Harrington joins in on the birdiefest with one at the 17th to move him back to three under alongside the likes of McDowell, Johnson, Olazabal and Weir.
20.22 If Larry can do it, then why not Jim Furyk. His birdie on 16 moves him to minus five. It's getting crowded at the top.
20.12 Larry Mize, with a birdie on 14, joins Campbell and Katayama at the head off affairs on five under. Graeme McDowell picks up another birdie on 12 to move to three under. Harrington is a shot further back through 15, while Rory McIlroy is level after four.
20.04 The highly fancied pair of Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson have reached seven on three under. Jim Furyk was on three under but a birdie on 15 has moved him alongside Clark, Cabrera and Mize on four under. 26 players are still within three shots of the lead. It has been a fascinating day so far.
20.00 Gary Player carded an opening round 78 ahead of what will be an emotional final appearance in the Masters on Friday.
19.54 A bogey six for Harrington on 15 drops him back to two under. Larry Mize rolls back the clock and holes a magnificent birdie putt on 13 to join Clark and Cabrera on four under.
19.48 Shingo Katayama finishes with a flourish and a birdie at the last leaves him level with Campbell.
19.46 My fancy Geoff Ogilvy moves into contention with birdies at 14 and 15 to lie three under.
19.37 Defending champion Trevor Immelman makes pars at the first and second. 1999 champion Jose Maria Olazabal has made an excellent start with birdies at two and three.
19.33 Chad Campbell has the lead to himself again after Katayama has his first bogey of the day on 17. The American posted steady pars on the sixth and seventh after his birdie blitz. Level with Katayama in second on four under are Tim Clark (69) and Angel Cabrera (through 15).
19.28 Also on three under are the 2003 champion Mike Weir, '87 hero Larry Mize and Sweden's Henrik Stenson. Both Woods and McIlroy started with pars.
19.17 Paddy has to make do with a birdie, but a three under after 13, it's a good day's work so far for the Dubliner.
19.15 Graeme McDowell gets back on track with a birdie on eight, while Harrington has tricky one for eagle.
19.08 Harrington makes a perfect drive on 13. It's set up nicely to edge him closer to the leaders.
19.07 We have joint leaders as Shingo Katayama joins Campbell on five under with his fifth birdie of the day on 15.
19.03 Tiger is off and running, while Rory McIlroy is about to start his first ever appearance in a Major.
19.01 Padraig Harrington makes his third birdie of the day on 12 to move to two under.
18.53 NEW LEADER Chad Campbell is a man inspired with another birdie on five. Still early doors, but what a start.
18.48 Luke Donald's odds may start to shorten with birdies at 13 and 14, and an eagle at 15. He now stands at level par.
18.43 Harrington had a great chance for a birdie on 11 but it fell shy of the hole. He remains one under. McDowell is also one under through seven.
18.40 Chad Campbell can do no wrong. He has birdied the first four holes and is joint leader with Tim Clark and Shingo Katayama.
18.35 Andres Romero makes an excellent start with an eagle at the third to move to three under after four.
18.28 We have joint leaders as Shingo Katayama - cowboy hat and all - moves alongside Clark on four under with consecutive birdies on 12 and 13. He had a 10-foot putt for an eagle at the latter, but it trickled narrowly wide.
18.23 American Chad Campbell makes the best start of the first round so far with consecutive birdies over the first three holes.
18.18 Jim Furyk starts well and a birdie at the second and another at the ninth leaves him well-placed. As of now 26 players lie within three shots of the lead.
18.14 Earlier I mentioned Luke Donald as an attractive 100/1 outsider. He is four over after 14 and now drifting in the market.
18.11 I put the mockers on Greg Norman. He bogeyed the 11th and goes back to one under.
18.09 Ross Fisher spoils his opening round with another bogey at the last, so it's Clark out in front on his own. Alongside Fisher on three under are Kevin Sutherland (69) P Markesang (69) Katayama through 12 and Cabrera through 10.
18.05 After a poor start, Sandy Lyle finishes with a 72, while 1991 champion Ian Woosnam carded a 74. Katayama sinks a four-footer on 12 to move to three under.
18.00 Justin Rose gets his second birdie of the day at nine and moves to two under. Tim Clark has just finished with a round of 68 (four-under). That's what they have to aim for. With perfect conditions in Augusta, don't be surprised that a higher score is posted.
17.56 First blip of the day for McDowell with a bogey on the fourth to go back to one under. However Greg Norman seems to be loving it out there, and has a chance of a birdie at 11. He's currently two under.
17.49 Billy Mayfair is making a late charge with birdies on 15, 16 & 17 to move to five over.
17.48 It's all level again at the top with Fisher making bogey on 17 and so joins Clark on four under.
17.42 After a bogey on six, Padraig Harrington makes amends on eight with a long birdie putt to move back to one under. Graeme McDowell parrs the third to remain on two under.
17.40 Ross Fisher is having a dream opening round and a birdie two on 16 puts hiim one clear of the field again on five under.
17.33 Ian Poulter has opened up with a couple of pars, while Greg Norman is moved to two-under at the turn. Could the Shark have another good Major? I don't see any sign of his wife Chrissy Evert. I had a soft spot for her during the 1980s when she was at the height of her powers. Only for Navratilova, she would have won more Grand Slam.
17.26 It's now a three way tie for the lead with Angel Cabrera joining Fiser and Clark after making a birdie on eight
17.22 It's going well for McDowell with consecutive birdie after two holes. Sergio Garcia has parred the opening four holes, while Gary Player, after a promising start, has just double-bogeyed the 10th to lie three over.
17.09 Back to the golf and Tim Clark and Ross Fisher dispute the lead on four under through 15 and 14 respectively. Graeme McDowell birdied his opening hole, while Paddy Harrington is level after six.
17.07 Just back from the canteen, Not a celebrity, or somebody who think they're a celebrity in sight. I had a strong cup of coffee to go with a sandwich that must was a close cousin of those photocopied efforts you get on Irish rail.
17.01 Birdie for G-Mac on the first, go on my son. Lump your money on our friend from the north - well maybe not just yet, but keep an eye on him.
16.51 Padraig Harrington has just parred the fourth to stay one-under. Still no word on McDowell. He should be out on the first at the moment.
16.47 Fisher misses the putt back and has to settle for a par to stay four-under at the top of the leaderboard. Meanwhile, Ken 'The Duke' Duke birdies the 11th to go one-under.
16.45 Ross Fisher just misses an eagle putt on the 13th. The ball breaks early and slips past. He'll do well to make birdie as he has drifted eight feet past the hole.
16.40 Justin Leonard, playing alongside Floyd, has almost chipped in from off the green on the 11th. A tap in to stay one-over. Mr Floyd had to settle for a double bogey. That's four-over for the 1976 Champion.
16.35 Good to see some of the Greats out on the course. Sandy Lyle is tipping along nicely on two-over after 12, although Ray Floyd, playing his 43rd Masters, has just gone awol into a big bush on the side of the 11th hole. He's on two-ocer as well but will be doing well do make par here.
16.33 Tim Clarke, using a putter that is nearly as tall as the man himself, has just birdied the 13th to go three-under, now just a shot behind leader, Ross Fisher.
16.30 James goes for a well-earned break and brings in the sub Ed Leahy to take over the coverage for a while. Bring me back a cuppa James...
16.28 Phil Mickelson, or Leftie, birdies the second as does Carlos Villegas.
16.25 Harrington again opts for nothing spectacular on the third and remains at one under. Graeme McDowell will be on the first tee in about 15 minutes. It's all shaping up nicely on this Holy Thursday ahead of what for many will hopefully be a 'good' Friday at Augusta.
16.15 Fisher makes up his carelessness on the ninth and a beautifully driven tee shot set up another birdie on 11. He duly holed and is two clear of the field again on four under.
16.11 Billy Mayfair is now eight over after 11. Gary Player is holding togerther well and is one over after six.
16.05 It's certainly all action as Padraig Harrington makes it a minus one figure a the second. Go Paddy go!
16.02 Angel Cabrera joins Katayama Langer on two over with a long putt for a birdie on three. Make that a quarter as Tim Clark birdies the 11th. It's all action now.
16.00 Michael Campbell is four over through seven, while Billy Mayfair is now six over through 10. Well, somedody has to feature in the horror shows.
15.53 Nothing fancy from Padraig Harrington on the first and a par is the result.
15.46 Bernhard Langer joins Katayama on two under with a birdie on three, while Ross Fisher bogeys (a five) the ninth and is now only one clear of the field. Check the leaderboard above. It's as conjested as the M50 on any day of the week.
15.42 Fisher still leads on four under, with Katayama now all alone in second on two under after Dustin Johnson and Stephen Ames had boges on the fifth and fourth respectively. Vijay Singh and Justin Rose have opened with birdies.
15.39 Padraig Harrington gets his round underway. We all wish him well. Ever since he sank that winning putt in the US PGA last August, this tournament has been foremost in his mind.
15.35 You could never forget the Golden Bear winning his final Major at Augusta in 1986, while the following year, Larry Mize's victory in the play-off was equally dramatic.
15.33 Shingo Katayama has now joined Johnson and Ames on two under after a birdie on the third.
15.27 Langer and Lee Westwood, in the same three-ball, both birdie the second to move to one under. Langer won the second of his Majors when the final round fell on Easter Sunday, as it will do this year.
The last time Christ's resurrection coincided with the final day at Augusta saw Phil Mickelson take the spoils in 2004. Lastly, Easter Sunday this year falls on 12 April. It last fell on that date in 1998 and Mark O'Meara won the first of his two Majors. I can't help myself now. The next time Easter Sunday will fall on th same day as the final round of the Masters will be in 2012. 8 April to be exact.
15.24 Ross Fisher picks up another birdie on eight and now leads the Masters by two from Johnson and Ames.
15.22 Greg Norman is back at Augusta. The player who should have on the Masters in 1987 and 1996 pars the first as does Bernhard Langer who did win the Masters in '85 & '93.
15.11 Retief Goosen, fancied by many, pars the first, while Billy Mayfair, brings up the rear at three over. Soren Hansen double bogeys the first. A touch of the Sandy Lyles there.
15.07 Dustin Johnson has birdied the third to join Ames on two under.
15.04 Gary Player, making his final appearance at the Masters, has dropped a shot at the first. It's 50 years since the South African won the first of his Major titles. A true great of the game.
15.00 At the top the hour Ross Fisher leads the way at three under, followed by Ames at two under, with Ben Curtis, Nick Watney and Dustin Johnson a futher shot behind. Sandy Lyle has birdied again on the seventh. He is now level. Sandy's on the charge!
14.55 Sandy Lyle birdies the sixth to move back to one over, but more importantly Canada's Stephen Ames has birdied the opening two holes.
14.52 American Dustin Johnson has joined Curtis & Jimenez at one under, but Ross Fisher, cool as any cucumber, birdies the sixth to take the outright lead on three under.
14.46 Padraig Harrington is due out at 14.34; Graeme McDowell at 16.40pm, while Rory McIlroy is in the last group at 19.03pm.
14.40 As quick as another billion is added to the budget deficit, former British Open Ben Curtis birdies the second to go one under, but Nick Watney, with a minimum of fuss birdies his opening two holes to join Ross Fisher at the head of affairs. Completing the birdie-fest is Miguel Jimenez on the second. Fisher & Watney at two under; Curtis & Jimenez a further shot behind. That's the leading foursome in the 73rd Masters as the sun shines brilliantly. I wish I could be there.
14.32 Clark and Floyd are now the closest pursuers to Fisher, with the leader having played four.
14.21 According to Boylesports, Rory McIlroy is attracting more money at the moment than Padraig Harrington ahead of their opening rounds. McIlroy is currently 30/1 with the firm to do something even more incredible than Mon Momme, Foinavon and even Marty Whelan coaching a GAA team to win last year's Celebrity Bainisteoir.
14.21. Things are changing fast in the early stages. Clark's good start comes to a halt with a bogey on the fourth, while Ross Fisher birdies the third to move to two under. The Englishman now holds the lead, with Clark, Markesang and Floyd all a shot behind.
14.14 Going back to Raymond Floyd. I told you he was Masters Champion in '76. Gerald Ford was US President back then. He was once described as the man who was incapable of walking and chewing gum at the second time.
14.12 Sutherland goes and spoils it all by doing something silly at the second and he drops back to level par.
14.08 Kevin Sunderland has joined Fisher and Markesang on one under after an excellent birdie at the second.
14.05 Bad approach by Chez Reavie on the fourth and he drops back to level after four. Hold it, Tim Clark is doing his best to beat the warm-up jinx. A birdie on three moves him to two under and he's out in front all by himself.
14.02 Sandy Lyle steadies the ship with a par at the second. I remenber Sandy hitting an 84/85 in the first round of the 1985 Irish Open. Four weeks later he was British Open Champion.
14.00 England's Ross Fisher and Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng have birdied their second holes to leave five players at one under at the head of the field
13.50 Somebody has a bet that Graeme McDowell will be the leading Irishman at 7/1. Not a bad price in a three-horse race.
13.48 Tim Clark won the pre-Masters par-three event on Wednesday. No player has ever gone on to win the Green Jacket after doing that.
13.47 Raymond Floyd is in the field and has just teed off. He was the champion in 1976 - the week after The Brotherhood of Man won the Eurovision with Save All Your Kisses For Me. Another in a the long list of cheesy songs to win that contest. Incidently, Floyd lost in a play-off against Faldo in 1990. I was cheering him loudly that night, as I could never really warm to the Englishman. Nothing personal, I must add.
13.46 South African Tim Clark has joined the American pair at the top of the lederboard on one under.
13.43: Reavie & Baird birdied the second and hold the lead at this very early stage.
13.39 Disaster for Sandy Lyle as he double bogeys the first. The Scotsman won the event in 1988 to begin a period of domination for British players with Nick Faldo (twice) and Woosnam winning in subsequent years.
13.28 Just to let you know that Geoff Ogilvy is my idea of the winner come Sunday. Then again, could we have a 100/1 winner, as in the National? Luke Donald is available at that price.
13.27 The first group (Woosnam, Reavie & Baird) all par the first hole.
13.25 - It's a gloriously sunny morning in Augusta and the crowds are certainly vocal judging by the reaction to Arnie's tee shot.
Briny Baird - What a name. Fred Funk, Rocco Mediate and Boo Weekley are examples of some other larger than life names that hit golf balls for a living. Then there is John Merrick. I remember watching the life story of the other John Merrick - The Elephant Man on television over 25 years ago. I found it a very poignant movie. John Hurt played the central part, with Mel Brooks of all the people producing the film that was directed by David Lynch.
Honorary starter Arnold Palmer got the 73rd Masters under way just before 1.00pm. The first group out is Ian Woosnam, Chez Reavie, Bring Baird.
Padraig Harrington, or Paddy as he is known in America, is bidding for a fourth Major success. However, the Tiger is on the prowl again after his nine-month absence from competitive golf. Graeme McDowell and Rory McDowell are the other Irish competitors in the star-studded field all hoping to be presented with the Green Jacket in the Butler's Cabin on sunday evening.
Good morning/afternoon and welcome to our live matchtracker of the US Masters.
