The 75th US Masters is underway at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. After Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer struck the opening tee shots as honorary starters, play commenced.
On a beautiful, still and sunny morning at Augusta, thousands of patrons arrived early at the course to see two legends of The Masters, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer mark the start of the tournament by striking drives down the first fairway. Both were fired nicely down the middle.
Jonathan Byrd, Sean O'Hair and Ross Fisher were the first three-ball to set off at 7.45 and the Englishman was the first man to drop a shot in this year's tournament as he bogeyed the opening hole. But he struck back with the tournament's first birdie at the second hole to return to even par.
Amongst the early starters are recent winners in the US, Nick Watney and Scotland's Martin Laird. After Fisher, Laird will be the next British player to start his challenge at 2.13pm BST. He'll be followed in the next grouping by Rory McIlroy.
Tiger Woods tees it up with Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell at 3.41pm and defending champion Phil Mickelson is second last off at 6.48pm.
This year's event is being touted as the most wide-open in recent history. In fact, there have been suggestions it is the most wide-open Masters of all time. Sean O'Hair and Jerry Kelly are the early leaders at one-under-par.
Golf Monthly at the US Masters:
US Masters blogs Latest US Masters news Augusta hole-by-hole guide US Masters history and records
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