Golf, by TourMiss

A poll among so 50 media reporting on the Masters have singled out Phil Mickelson as the favourite to win the 2011 Masters. The Augusta Chronicle conducted the poll with Mickelson winning 11 votes and Luke Donald and Nick Watney eight apiece. Next best was four-time Augusta winner Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood with four each. Among some other picks to be likely green jacket contenders included the usual suspects in Padraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Geoff Ogilvy and even Rickie Fowler who’s ...

The 2011 Masters got underway at 7.40am local time with Augusta National Chairman, Billy Payne introducing ‘ceremonial starters’ Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus onto the first tee. Palmer and Nicklaus were applauded the second they left the clubhouse. The tee sign had both player’s names in place:  Palmer – 81 & Nicklaus – 71 reflecting the age of each player. Payne said:  “I’m Billy Payne and welcome to the 75th playing of the Masters.  This is a special ...

To continue the Masters theme here is a selection of snaps from the final practice day of the 2011 Masters. Good golfing, Bernie                   

A year ago, Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne delivered a stinging rebuttal to Tiger Woods. Payne criticised Woods for letting down sport in general saying, in part, the then World No. 1 ‘had disappointed all of us, and more importantly, our kids and our grand kids, and that our hero did not live up to the expectations of the role model we saw for our children.” Twelve months and Payne was asked his opinion of Woods during the now annual ‘Masters Address’ held on the eve of the Masters. “We ...

With the start of the 2011 Masters now just a day away we look back 10 years when a new phase was thrust onto the golf world – ‘Tiger Slam’. Tiger Woods went into the 2001 Masters having torn his rivals to shreds in capturing the last three Majors of the Millennium. Then with seeming inevitability, Woods rolled over the Masters field to complete an unprecedented feat in the long history of golf – holding all four Major titles at the one time. It was argued Woods won his second Masters ...

Masters week always brings together officials from the major tours along with representative of golfing unions around the world. It’s a time for not just watching golf but for meetings and dinners. Top of the dinner list is the ‘Former Champions Dinner’ this year hosted by defending champion, Phil Mickelson. The dinner held on Tuesday night was believed to have been very emotional given Mickelson present his fellow Augusta National champions with a Spanish theme meal to honour the ailing Seve ...

By strange co-incidence Martin Laird finds himself playing the opening two rounds of the Masters in the company of first player he met at Augusta National. The Scot, who won last month’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, will make his Masters debut teeing-up at 9.13am local time alongside the American pair of Mark Wilson and Bo Van Pelt. Wilson heads the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Series courtesy of two victories this season, winning the Hawaiian Open in his first event of 2011 and then capturing ...