2012 Masters Leaderboard: Lee Westwood On Top After First Round

Tiger Woods' Swing Fails Him In Opening Round Of The Masters

Tiger Woods' swing failed him on Thursday as he reverted to some of his old habits. Despite his troubles, Woods was able to scramble, grinding out an even-par round of 72 with plenty of golf left to play in The Masters.

The Masters 2012: TV Coverage, Streaming Information And More

The second round of the Masters tees off on Friday morning, with Masters.com once again providing plenty of video streaming options. Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson are two of the big stars and contenders who will go out in the morning before TV coverage picks up in the afternoon.

Masters.com will begin Amen Corner coverage at 10:45 a.m., and then add coverage for two featured groups and video of the famous par-5 15th hole and par-3 16th. Keeping with Augusta National Golf Club tradition, ESPN will then pick up coverage in the afternoon, just 3 1/2 hours before the cut is made on Friday night.

Full broadcast information below:

LIVE COVERAGE ON MASTERS.COM

10:45 a.m. - 6 p.m.: 
Amen Corner live video coverage

11:45 a.m. - 7 p.m.
: Hole Nos. 15 and 16 live video coverage

12 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: 
Featured Group 1 live video coverage; 
Featured Group 2 live video coverage

3 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: 
Masters In-Depth live video coverage and highlights

MASTERS RADIO

2 p.m.: 
Masters Radio live audio

TV COVERAGE

3 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: 
Live coverage on ESPN

4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
: Live 3D coverage on ESPN 3D

8 p.m. - 11 p.m.: 
Replay of the telecast on ESPN

11:30 p.m. - 11:45 p.m.: 
Highlights Show on CBS

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012 Video: Golf Is Hard, Especially At Augusta National

Masters 2012: Tiger Woods Faces Uphill Road To Fifth Green Jacket

Tiger Woods entered the 2012 Masters with momentum derived from a victory at Bay Hill a fortnight ago and as the betting favorite to capture his fifth green jacket. But after a lackluster first round on Thursday, Tiger must stalk the leaders to make that happen. At Augusta, he's used to that.

Woods shot an even-par 72 in his first round, good for a tie for 29th on a day that coughed up a slew of red numbers; it's the first time since 2005 that he hasn't been in the top 25 after Thursday at Augusta. But it's also not a bizarre new wrinkle for Woods to start slow in The Masters: all of his four wins included first rounds in the 70s (70s in 1997, 2000 and 2001, and a 74 in 2005).

And Tiger has historically turned it on in the second and third rounds at Augusta, firing 66s in all four of his victories and 65s in two of them, while never recording a round of 70 or worse in a Masters triumph.

All of that is to say this: Woods' slow start does not dash his green jacket dreams, but a failure to get in gear on Friday and Saturday could.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Watch The Masters Online With Live Streaming Coverage From ESPN, Masters.com

Some aspects of the Augusta National Golf Club that hosts The Masters remain lamentably antiquated. Fortunately for golf fans who may not be able to get to a television, the club is not resistant to online streaming of play, and both ESPN and Masters.com will provide live streaming coverage of the 2012 The Masters during Friday's second round.

ESPN3 will have live video coverage of the second round beginning at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, and an encore presentation at 8:00 p.m. for those who cannot get enough of dogwoods and doglegs.

Masters.com's live video section will also have an exhaustive array of options for the cubicle-bound or TV-free fan on Friday. From 10:45 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., there will be live video coverage of Amen Corner -- the famed stretch from hole No. 11 through No. 13. The 15th and 16th holes will get live video coverage from 11:45 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., as well.

Additionally, there will be live video coverage of two featured groups from noon to 7:30 p.m., and Masters.com will show in-depth highlights from 3:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; all times, of course, are Eastern.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters Leaderboard: Lee Westwood Leads Tournament, International Bloc Entering Second Round

Lee Westwood tops the 2012 The Masters leaderboard entering the second round at Augusta National on Friday. But the Brit is not the only international name near the top of the leaderboard, just one of many; he may have to fend off an international bloc to earn a signature PGA Tour triumph.

Westwood sits at 5-under after a Thursday 67. He is followed by 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa and Sweden's Peter Hanson, both at 4-under, and a trio of non-American players at 3-under (Paul Lawrie, Miguel Angel Jimenez, and Francesco Molinari) is joined by a trio of players representing the Stars and Stripes, Ben Crane, Jason Dufner, and Bubba Watson.

For Westwood, being in contention at a major is nothing new: he has top-three finishes at all four of golf's major championships. But Westwood has never won a major, and hasn't won on the PGA Tour since 2010, when superb but largely non-winning play helped elevate him to the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Rankings. If Westwood can pull out a win at Augusta, his career resume — marked by scads of European Tour success and few breakthroughs on the other side of the pond — would finally have a unquestionable top line.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012: Upbeat Phil Mickelson Likes His Chances Despite Jungle Adventure at Augusta

It takes more than a romp in the jungle, a lost ball, and a triple-bogey-7 to discourage Phil Mickelson.

Masters Tee Times And Pairings: Tiger Woods Tees Off Friday Afternoon Looking To Make A Charge

The second round of the Masters tees off on Friday morning just before 8 a.m. ET, with Americans Sean O'Hair and Scott Verplank leading off. After unremarkable first rounds, superstars Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson go off in the morning in consecutive groups, with McIlroy goes out at 10:35 a.m. and Mickelson at 10:46 a.m. ESPN should cover the last four to five holes for each player when their coverage breaks in at 3 p.m. Leader Lee Westwood tees off at 9:40 a.m. and will likely be in the clubhouse when TV coverage begins.

Tiger Woods, who shot an even-par first-round 72, tees off in the second-to-last group at 1:42 p.m. ET. Defending champion Charl Schwartzel and PGA champion Keegan Bradley will be one group ahead of Woods. The last group of the day will feature the No. 1 player in the world, Luke Donald, who had a scorecard scare on Thursday afternoon.

The weather forecast calls for rain in the morning, and it's going to be unseasonably cold throughout the day with the sun warming things up slightly for the afternoon. The later tee times should have a weather advantage, if the morning rain is light enough to not suspend play.

7:50 a.m.	Sean O'Hair	Scott Verplank	Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano
8:01 a.m.	Martin Laird	Chez Reavie	Mark O'Meara
8:12 a.m.	Corbin Mills (a)	Simon Dyson	Sandy Lyle
8:23 a.m.	Kevin Chappell	Edoardo Molinari	Ian Woosnam
8:34 a.m.	Louis Oosthuizen	Graeme McDowell	Mark Wilson
8:45 a.m.	Zach Johnson	Patrick Cantlay (a)	Ian Poulter
8:56 a.m.	Ben Crane	Kevin Na	Fredrik Jacobson
9:07 a.m.	Jonathan Byrd	John Senden	Paul Casey
9:18 a.m.	Jason Dufner	Charles Howell III	Bernhard Langer
9:29 a.m.	Webb Simpson	Brandt Snedeker	Mike Weir
9:40 a.m.	Lee Westwood	Jim Furyk	Vijay Singh
10:02 a.m.	Scott Stallings	Rory Sabbatini	Thomas Bjorn
10:13 a.m.	Fred Couples	Darren Clarke	Ryo Ishikawa
10:24 a.m.	Sergio Garcia	David Toms	K.J. Choi
10:35 a.m.	Bubba Watson	Angel Cabrera	Rory McIlroy
10:46 a.m.	Peter Hanson	Hunter Mahan	Phil Mickelson
10:57 a.m.	Tim Clark	Brendan Steele	Craig Stadler
11:08 a.m.	Jose Maria Olazabal	Robert Garrigus	Randal Lewis (a)
11:19 a.m.	Paul Lawrie	Anders Hansen	Larry Mize
11:30 a.m.	Ross Fisher	Harrison Frazar	Ryan Palmer
11:41 a.m.	Robert Karlsson	Ben Crenshaw	Bryden MacPherson
11:52 a.m.	Martin Kaymer	Bo Van Pelt	Adam Scott
12:14 p.m.	Stewart Cink	Padraig Harrington	Steve Stricker
12:25 p.m.	Aaron Baddeley	Kyung-tae Kim	Lucas Glover
12:36 p.m.	Bill Haas	Kyle Stanley	Jason Day
12:47 p.m.	Justin Rose	Rickie Fowler	Trevor Immelman
12:58 p.m.	Hideki Matsuyama (a)	Tom Watson	Johnson Wagner
1:09 p.m.	Matt Kuchar	Y.E. Yang	Geoff Ogilvy
1:20 p.m.	Henrik Stenson	Gary Woodland	Alvaro Quiros
1:31 p.m.	Keegan Bradley	Charl Schwartzel	Kelly Kraft (a)
1:42 p.m.	Miguel A. Jimenez	Tiger Woods	Sang-Moon Bae
1:53 p.m.	Francesco Molinari	Nick Watney	Luke Donald

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

2012 Masters: How Are Scorecards Supposed to Be Signed, Anyway?

Luke Donald dodged a potential disqualification this afternoon after signing what was thought to be an incorrect scorecard. So how does the card-signing process usually work, anyway?

Masters 2012 Weather Forecast: Drying Out For Round Two

The only weather concern for round two of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club is lingering rain showers during the morning. The second half of the day will be drier, but cooler with more wind.

The system that brought the rain and storms to the area Thursday afternoon starts to exit later this morning. This will keep the risk of a few showers around during the morning. Once this system exits later in the afternoon it will be breezy and much cooler. Highs will only get into the mid 60s with winds gusting to near 20 mph at times.

You couldn't script better weather for the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday. Sunny skies are expected both days with highs ranging from the low- to upper-70s and generally light winds, full forecast below.

For more weather updates online follow @BrianNeudorff on Twitter.

Conditions in August, GA: Click here for Current Weather Conditions | Look at Doppler Radar | Mobile Friendly Site | Mobile Radar

FRIDAY - SECOND ROUND:
8 a.m. EDT
Mostly cloudy, chance of shower – Winds: NNE 10-15 mph - temp: 56
10 a.m. EDT
Mostly cloudy, chance of shower – Winds: NNE 10-15 mph - temp: 58
12 p.m. EDT
Clouds and sun, slight chance of a shower – Winds: NE 10-20 mph - temp: 60
2 p.m. EDT
Clouds & Sunshine – Winds: NE 10-20 mph - temp: 62
4 p.m. EDT
Partly sunny – Winds: NE 10-20 mph - temp: 66
6 p.m. EDT
Partly sunny – Winds: NE 10-15 mph - temp: 64

SATURDAY - THIRD ROUND:
8 a.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: NNE 3-8 mph - temp: 45
10 a.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: NE 3-8 mph - temp: 57
12 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: NE 5-10 mph - temp: 67
2 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: NE 5-10 mph - temp: 70
4 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: ENE 3-8 mph - temp: 74
6 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: East 3-8 mph - temp: 72

SUNDAY - FINAL ROUND:
8 a.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: West 3-8 mph - temp: 49
10 a.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: West 3-8 mph - temp: 62
12 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: West 3-8 mph - temp: 71
2 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: West 3-8 mph - temp: 75
4 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: WSW 3-8 mph - temp: 78
6 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: WSW 3-8 mph - temp: 76

Masters 2012: Weather Creating 'Mud Ball' Problem At Augusta National

The weather has certainly become a major factor at Augusta National Golf Club this week, with persistent rains early in the week and more storms overnight on Thursday. There's additional rain forecasted throughout Friday morning, with mud balls already prevalent throughout Thursday's round. On Tuesday, Tiger Woods said after his practice round that every drive in the fairway resulted in a mud ball:

Via TigerWoods.com:

Today I played nine holes with Freddie and Sean, and seven drives and had seven mud balls. So hopefully it will dry out, but I think the forecast is for more rain.

The mud ball problem carried over from the practice rounds to the first round yesterday, with Nick Watney telling Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post that lift, clean, and place could be in play for Friday:

Via @BarrySvrluga:

Nick Watney says they're getting mud on almost every tee shot. More rain on way. Lift, clean and place? "It's borderline right now."

— Barry Svrluga (@barrysvrluga) April 5, 2012

It would be an extreme measure for Augusta National to put "lift, clean and place" into effect, but it's something that Chairman Billy Payne did not rule out at his press conference on Wednesday:

"We surely would not want to have to do that," Payne said. "That would be a decision very difficult to make. However, we are also bright enough to know that weather conditions can have an impact on that, and possibly cause us to change our minds on that issue."

Woods, along with Jack Nicklaus and thousands of golfers pejoratively refer to it as "lift, clean, cheat." It's definitely frowned upon, but if mud balls are a major problem, Augusta National may be forced to institute it.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

VIDEO: Phil Mickelson Loses His Ball, Goes Hunting

Masters Scores And Results: Lee Westwood Leads After Round One

In the quest for his first major championship, Lee Westwood birdied four consecutive holes on the front nine, firing an five-under 67 to lead after the opening round of the 2012 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.

Westwood has a one-shot lead over South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen, who finished with back-to-back birdies on No. 17 and No. 18, and Sweden's Peter Hanson. Americans Ben Crane, Jason Dufner and Bubba Watson are among six golfers who shot three-under 69s on Thursday. That group also includes Paul Lawrie, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Francesco Molinari.

Tournament favorite Tiger Woods is tied for 29th at even par after bogeying the final two holes of his first round. Rory McIlroy's round got off to a rocky start with a double bogey on No. 1 before clawing back to 1-under through nine holes. Bogeys on No. 11 and No. 13 were offset by birdies on No. 17 and No. 18 to finish the round at even par.

Three-time winner Phil Mickelson struggled on Thursday, finishing the front nine at 1-over and triple-bogeying No. 10 to stand at 4-over entering No. 11. Mickelson finished strong, however, birdieing three of the final holes to finish his round with a 2-over 74.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters Leaderboard: Rory McIlroy Recovers From Poor Start, Finishes At 1-Under

Rory McIlroy wasn't at his best on Thursday as he teed off at Augusta National for the opening round of the 2012 Masters. Just one year after McIlroy seemed to have a green jacket within his sights before a final-round meltdown knocked him out of contention, the young star returned to the scene of the crime. If the first hole was any indication, it wasn't going to be McIlroy's day.

On No. 1, McIlroy found trouble right away, recording a double-bogey to start his round at 2-over at the snap of a finger. It was quickly apparent he was going to have to grind out a score and hope to stay within striking distance.

And that was exactly what he did, recovering with a birdie on No. 2 to get to 1-over and plodding along with pars as the front nine wore on. He finished strong heading into the turn, birdying the eighth and ninth holes to get to 1-under heading to the 10th.

A bogey on No. 11 put McIlroy back at even, and another bogey two holes later had him back at 1-over for the tournament. However, in what seemed to be a theme for him on Thursday, McIlroy finished the back nine as he did the front, birdieing the final two holes -- difficult holes that had been giving players fits all day -- to card a 1-under 71 to open the tournament.

His 1-under still puts him four back of Lee Westwood, who holds the lead in the clubhouse with the first round winding down. But it was a solid start for McIlroy, who appeared to be fighting himself throughout the day.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012 Weather Forecast: Rain Update

Need to hit refresh to refresh the Radar image...

A few rain showers will impact Augusta National Golf Club this evening, but the worst and heaviest of the rain has passed to the south. Because the rain is generally light, with the worst staying away from the golf course, I expect the first round to finish today.

A severe thunderstorm watch continues until 9 p.m. EDT. A severe thunderstorm watch means that conditions are favorable for the development of severe weather. If severe weather is occurring, then a warning will be issued for the location and those in the area are advised to seek shelter immediately.

For more weather updates online, follow @BrianNeudorff on Twitter.

Conditions in Augusta, Ga.: Click here for Current Weather Conditions | Look at Doppler Radar | Mobile-Friendly Site | Mobile Radar

Masters Leaderboard 2012: Lee Westwood Takes Lead Into Clubhouse

Lee Westwood is in the lead after a first-round 67 at The Masters, giving him a one-shot advantage over Louis Oosthuizen. Both players are in the clubhouse and the first round is winding down, giving Westwood a good shot of taking the lead into Friday's second round. Westwood, who ranks among the best players to never win a major, is on form and looks to be poised to make a run at Augusta National.

Westwood birdied the second hole before giving the shot back two holes later early in his round. A run of four straight birdies, beginning on No. 5, set the tone for Westwood's day and put him in excellent position heading into the turn at 4-under.

After giving a shot back on No. 10, Westwood picked up a stroke with a birdie on the par-5 13th. He added another birdie on No. 17, closing his round with a par of 18 to card a 67.

Oosthuizen is one-shot back at 4-under for the tournament, ahead of a large group at 3-under. Tiger Woods is five shots back, at even par for the tournament after a rough final two holes. Rory McIlroy is at 1-over through 15 holes, plodding along while battling his swing during the opening round.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Luke Donald Not Disqualified From The Masters; Blame The Fax Machine

There's always some kind of controversy during the Masters -- tournament drama, not the golf club stuff -- and on Thursday, the world's No. 1 player was caught up in what could've been a terrible situation.

After Luke Donald finished his first round and signed his scorecard, word emerged that his score was being investigated. Donald shot an opening-round 75, and there was some thought that he may have signed for a 73.

According to his wife, though, Donald is in the clear:

Just got off the phone with Luke, NOT disqualified. Thank goodness.

— Diane Donald (@DianeDonald) April 5, 2012

So what happened? According to Jason Sobel and the Golf Channel, we should all blame the fax machine.

Luke Donald mystery solved. From @ToddLewisGC: When scorecard was faxed, a 5 on fifth hole looked like a 3. No issue, no DQ. Just the fax.

— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGC) April 5, 2012

And here I thought fax machines were only used in athletic department offices, rolled out on National Signing Day.

Questions still remain, though. Most importantly: "Why in the world is Augusta National faxing Masters scorecards?" They couldn't be scanned if tournament officials needed records? Or they couldn't triple-check that the copy was clear?

The lesson: Never use a fax machine. Avoid it at all costs. Use carrier pigeons.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

VIDEO: Bubba Watson Hits Poor Tee Shot, Isn't Even Mad

VIDEO: Jason Dufner Brings 'War Eagle' To Augusta

Masters 2012: Luke Donald's Scorecard May Result In Disqualification

Luke Donald, the No. 1 player in the world and one of the favorites to contend at the 2012 Masters, may be disqualified after signing an incorrect scorecard for his first round. Rumors began flying around 5 p.m. ET shortly after Donald finished his round that his signed card did not add up.

An official from the Masters initially told Steve Elling of CBSSports.com that there was no issue with the card, despite the Masters scoreboard showing that Donald shot a 75.

Via @EllingYelling:

Augusta official said tournament committee chair Fred Ridley told him, "Luke Donald shot 73, signed for 73, there is no problem. No story."

— Steve Elling (@EllingYelling) April 5, 2012

Shortly after that statement was made, word came down that the Masters' competition committee was looking into Donald's scorecard, and that there was apparently a discrepancy.

Via Brian Wacker:

Announcement just made in media center – Masters competition committee looking into questions regarding Luke Donald’s scorecard. Stay tuned.

— Brian Wacker (@pgatour_brianw) April 5, 2012

If Donald signed for a 75, and the scoreboard was wrong and he in fact shot a 73, then he would not be disqualified, but the higher signed score would hold up.

The most famous instance of an incorrect scorecard at Augusta National involves Argentinian Roberto De Vicenzo, who signed an incorrect card that playing partner Tommy Aaron had marked one shot worse than his actual round. De Vincenzo signed the card and the incorrect score stood -- had he corrected the mistake, he would have tied Bob Goalby for first and forced an 18-hole playoff the next day.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012 Weather Forecast: Showers And Storms Approaching Augusta National

Need to hit refresh to refresh the Radar image...

Augusta National Golf Club is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 9 p.m. EDT. As of 5 p.m. EDT, showers and embedded storms were moving towards Augusta National Golf Club, with a few groups still out on the golf course.

These showers should arrive between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. EDT. These showers and storms could produce locally heavy rains, frequent lightning and strong, gusty winds. Because the area is under a severe thunderstorm watch, any storm that forms has the potential to become severe with damaging winds and large hail. A severe thunderstorm watch means conditions are favorable for the development of severe weather. If severe weather is occurring, then a warning will be issued for the location and those in the area will be advised to seek shelter immediately.

These showers and storms could last between two and three hours. This could cause the final groups of the opening day to be postponed until Friday morning.

For more weather updates online, follow @BrianNeudorff on Twitter.

Conditions in Augusta, Ga.: Click here for Current Weather Conditions | Look at Doppler Radar | Mobile-Friendly Site | Mobile Radar

2012 Masters Leaderboard: Phil Mickelson Struggling, Searching For Consistency

Phil Mickelson is having an up-and-down day as he plods through the opening round of the Masters, battling his swing along the way. His tee shots have been wayward, forcing him to fight back and scramble along the front nine as he battles to make pars in the most difficult of ways. And for the most part, he's done well, hovering around par for much of the front nine and making the turn at 1-over.

But on the 10th, Mickelson ran into trouble. It was easy to tell things had gone all sorts of wrong when he hit his tee shot and almost immediately looked back while saying, "I'm gonna hit a provisional." Why was he hitting a provisional? Because he had no idea where his ball went after it bounded into the trees along the left side of the fairway.

A search party was called in, and the gallery got to work.

The search-and-rescue mission turned into a search-and-recovery mission after the allotted five minutes have elapsed. As of this time, the ball has not been found.

That left Phil hitting four from the rough along the left side, and his provisional wasn't so spectacular, either. His fourth shot went into the bunker at the back of the green, and his putt for double-bogey was just off the mark. For those scoring at home, that's a triple-bogey that drops Mickelson back to 4-over par -- a disastrous start to his back nine.

At present, the leaders are at 3-under. Tiger Woods is in the clubhouse at even-par after finishing bogey-bogey,

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

VIDEO: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player Open 2012 Masters With Honorary Tee Shots

Masters 2012 Leaderboard: Paul Lawrie, Miguel Angel Jimenez Lead In Clubhouse

Paul Lawrie and Miguel Angel Jimenez are in the clubhouse with the lead at Augusta National after each opening the Masters with 3-under rounds. They've posted the best numbers of the day so far, but it's far from a certainty the leaderboard will remain as-is through the end of the day, with plenty of golfers still on the course.

Lawrie and Jimenez aren't alone atop the leaderboard, with Francesco Molinari and Lee Westwood each at 3-under for the tournament, as well. Westwood is through just 10 holes and looks strong so far, starting his first round at Augusta about as well as one could expect. Molinari is through 17 holes, with the clubhouse in sight.

Bubba Watson just joined the group at 3-under, birdying the eighth hole. Watson's length off the tee has come in handy, and led to a relatively simple approach into No. 8.

Zach Johnson is at 2-under through 13, Phil Mickelson is 1-over through seven, Tiger Woods finished at even par and Rory McIlroy is even through eight after double-bogeying the first hole.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012: Tiger Woods Bogeys 17 And 18, Finishes Even For First Round

Tiger Woods held pace for much of his first round at the Masters on Thursday, but similar to early leader Henrik Stenson, ran into some problems later on. Luckily for Woods, his late-round difficulty has not yet reached the historic level of bad late-round play that Stenson exhibited just a short while ago.

Noted golf enthusiast Woods was staying strong at 2-under through 16 holes and his cause was helped immensely by Stenson shooting an unbelievable score of 8 on his final hole. Woods bogeyed the par-4 17th and slipped into a tie for 10th place with 16 other golfers at 1-under.

Woods was not finished sliding down the leaderboard, though, He followed that up with another bogey on the 18th hole, which may prove to be the bane of many golfers in this first round.

Woods is now tied for 27th with a dozen other golfers, including Charl Schwartzel and Martin Kaymer, who have also finished their first rounds with an even-par 72.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012: Chez Reavie Went Streaking

Streaks are usually good in golf -- birdie streaks, par streaks on a tough course. Chez Reavie's streak, however, was not so good on Thursday at Augusta National. After plodding along with four pars to open his first round, Reavie went streaking. Five holes later, he was six over part. Four holes after that, he was nine over par. Nine holes, an average of a bogey a hole.

Reavie bogeyed the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth before mixing things up with a double-bogey to close the front nine. He stopped the bleeding on 10 with a par, then opened the wound again on 11 with another bogey. After paring the 12th, he made up for lost time with a double-bogey on No. 13.

To recap: Through four holes, Reavie was at even par. Through 13 holes, Reavie was 9-over. Now, though 16 holes, Reavie has moved back in a positive direction and sits at 7-over for the tournament.

Just another reminder that Augusta National is a cruel mistress, and when things start to go wrong, there's no stopping it.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

VIDEO: Henrik Stenson's 18th Hole At The Masters Was Memorable

Henrik Stenson made history to close out his first round, but not the kind he was hoping for. At 5-under through 17 holes, Stenson was in a good spot as he approached the clubhouse. A good spot, at least, until he carded a dreaded snowman on No. 18.

You might be wondering how this all happened, after you stop laughing of course. Stenson's tee shot set the wheels in motion, and his hot head got the best of them shortly thereafter. It was bad -- almost painful to watch.

The shot-by-shot recap:

His drive just wasn't even close, with zero chance of finding the fairway. Stenson tried to play it safe and smart with his second shot, but his pitch out fell short of where he intended. His third shot triggered the complete meltdown, as he skulled the ball out of the pinestraw, advancing it but leaving himself in a difficult spot.

After throwing his club around a bit, Stenson airmailed his approach, leaving a delicate pitch back to the hole. That pitch was short, landing on the fringe and leaving a difficult downhill put for double-bogey. The putt was wide left, and the three-footer coming back was also off the mark.

But hey, he drained his third putt for an eight -- tying the worst score on No. 18 in Masters history. And he made a snowman. That's gotta count for something, right?

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

2012 Masters Leaderboard Update: Henrik Stenson Implodes On No. 18

Henrik Stenson was looking good as he walked to the 18th tee, leading The Masters by a stroke. He was poised to head into the clubhouse with the first-round lead, at least for now, and at 5-under he'd put together a solid 17 holes. But as we've seen at Augusta National before, one bad hole is all it takes.

And Stenson had himself a bad hole, to say the least. A wayward tee shot left him on the wrong side of the trees, a bad second shot gave him not chance to hit the green, and on his fourth shot, when he finally had a look at the 18th green, the ball sailed into the gallery.

Sitting five, Stenson left his pitch short and had almost no chance at double-bogey. His putt was wide of the hole, leaving him three feet left to cleanup for triple-bogey. And he missed it, because of course he did.

Finally, on his eighth shot, Stenson drained the putt to end his misery. His eight on the final hole tied a record for the worst score on the 18th, and amateurs everywhere nodded their heads at the sight of a snowman on the scorecard.

This GIF, of his shot from the trees after he tried to chip out his second shot, sums it up.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012: Tiger Woods Makes Par On Hole 16, Remains 2-Under

Tiger Woods is still chasing the leader on Thursday at the 2012 Masters in Augusta. Woods is doing a fine job of setting the pace, although a couple of long approaches have forced him to settle for par on at least a few holes. He has still managed to recover well when going off-course and remains just a few strokes off the lead.

On hole 16, Woods found the green off the tee on the par-3, but wound up on the very edge of it, looking at a very long putt. Woods was unable to sink it and a two-putt later, he had par to keep pace.

Henrik Stenson was the overall leader as Woods made par on 16, but Stenson ran into immense difficulty on the final hole of his opening round and lost four strokes on his round.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012: Tiger Woods Finds Rough On Hole 15, Remains 3 Strokes Off Lead

In Thursday's opening round at the 2012 Masters in Augusta, Tiger Woods is chasing the current leader, Henrik Stenson. Woods headed into the final holes of his first round just a few strokes off the lead, as Stenson faltered on hole 16 with a bogey and went to 5-under.

On the 15th hole, Woods drove his tee shot into the rough as his ball went in amongst the crowd. He recovered well as his shot from the rough on the par-5 hole found the fairway, and his following shot cleared the water hazard and placed him on the green in regulation, albeit from a distance. Woods needed a two-putt to make par, keeping him stuck at 2-under and three shots behind Stenson with three holes left to play. Stenson is currently on hole 17.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters Leaderboard: Henrik Stenson Leads Through 15

In Thursday's opening round at the 2012 Masters in Augusta, Henrik Stenson is setting the pace early.

Stenson eagled on holes two and eight, while also picking up birdies on holes five, 10 and 15. His lone black mark came on hole 14, with a bogey on a par-4. He remains three strokes ahead of Paul Lawrie, who finished his opening round at 3-under.

First-time Masters invitee Keegan Bradley is performing quite well in only his second major championship. Through 14 holes, Bradley is tied for third place with Tiger Woods and four other golfers at 2-under.

One of the favorites to win is Rory McIlroy, who got off to an inauspicious start with a double-bogey on his very first hole of the tournament. He recovered with a birdie on hole two and is 1-over through three.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012: Tiger Woods Hits Bunker On Hole 12, Remains 2-Under

In Thursday's opening round at the 2012 Masters in Augusta, Tiger Woods is doing his best to stay on the pace. Woods entered the day as the odds-on favorite to win the tournament and is known for steadily improving over the late rounds of play. He is off to a solid start on Thursday, although he has run into a couple spots of trouble.

Woods has three birdies on the day, but bogeyed on hole seven. He looked to be in trouble again on the par-5 hole 12, attempting to hit the green under regulation from the fairway. The ball appeared to be on target, but to Woods' chagrin then bounced and rolled through the rough to land in a bunker on the other side of the green.

Woods managed to hit the green from the bunker on his third shot, winding up with a medium-length putt that went wide left of the hole on his birdie attempt. Woods tapped it in for par to remain at 2-under through 12.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters Leaderboard: Tiger Woods At 2-Under Through 10 Holes

On Thursday, the opening round of the 2012 Masters in Augusta got underway. The best golfers in the world are battling it out for the top prize in the PGA, the elusive green jacket that denotes a Masters victory.

Tiger Woods is in search of his fifth green jacket, which would put him just one victory behind Jack Nicklaus' record of six Masters wins. Should Woods pull off the win here in Augusta, it would also mark his 73rd career PGA Tour win, tying Nicklaus for second on the all-time wins list.

Through the first 10 holes of his opening round on Thursday, Woods is at 2-under, tying him with Jason Dufner in fourth place. Henrik Stenson is the leader at 6-under through 11 holes, followed by Paul Lawrie and Scott Verplank at 3-under.

Woods picked up his third birdie of the day on hole 10, playing steady golf apart from his bogey on hole seven.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters Leaderboard: Tiger Woods Sitting At 1-Under Through First 9 Holes

Midway through his first round of the 2012 Masters, the odds-on favorite is playing steady golf just under par and keeping pace with the rest of the field.

Tiger Woods, in pursuit of a resurgence of his career in earnest, a fifth green jacket and a 73rd career PGA Tour victory, is playing perfectly acceptable golf in the first round at Augusta. Through his first nine holes, he sits at 1-under and is tied for fifth place with a bevy of other players.

Woods hit birdies on holes three and eight, while picking up a bogey on the par-4 hole seven. The current leader is Henrik Stenson, who is shooting 6-under through his first 10 holes.

Woods is the betting favorite to win the entire tournament, followed by Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters Leaderboard: Paul Lawrie With 2 Eagles, Henrik Stenson In Lead At 6-Under

The opening round of the 2012 Masters on Thursday is featuring no shortage of action.

Paul Lawrie was making significant progress and tied for the lead 3-under after picking up a pair of eagles. Lawrie hit eagles on holes 13 and 15 to make up for earlier bogeys. With the eagles, Lawrie, as per Masters tradition, picked up two pairs of crystal goblets for his two eagles. After getting to 4-under, Lawrie unfortunately bogeyed on the final hole of his round, bringing his opening day score to a final of 3-under.

Through 10 holes, Henrik Stenson is the leader at 6-under and shows no signs of slowing down, although there is plenty of golf left to play. Ross Fisher and Scott Verplank are both at 2-under. Tiger Woods is at 1-under through eight holes.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's dedicated golf hub and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012: Mark O'Meara Withdraws Due To Rib Injury

Veteran golfer and former Masters champion Mark O'Meara has been forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a pulled muscle. The 55-year old, two-time major champion was scheduled to tee off at 11:08 a.m. ET, but his tournament ended before he completed a hole. The PGA Tour tweeted out the news.

Mark O'Meara has withdrawn from the Masters with a pulled muscle in his ribs.

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 5, 2012

O'Meara won both the Masters and the British Open in 1998 en route to being named the 1998 PGA Player of the Year. He had multiple unfortunate injury issues after that season and never regained his form from that season. He has only had one top-10 finish in a major since 1998, when he tied for eighth place at the 2003 Masters.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012: Tiger Woods Birdies Third Hole, 1-Under So Far

It's been a scrambling start for Tiger Woods at The Masters, but he'll be happy with his score. Through his first three holes, he's 1-under par. It hasn't been easy for Woods in the early going, but he's managed two pars and a birdie to get his day off to an excellent start.

On both of his first two tee shots, Woods pulled his drive to the left. He made a good shot on the first from the pine straw to set up a par, but had to scramble for his par on the second hole after hitting the ball into the hazard. Things went quite a bit more smoothly for Tiger on the third, where he made his birdie to go to 1-under on the day. He's two strokes behind the current leader, Henrik Stenson, who is 3-under through five holes.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters Leaderboard Update: Four Players Tied At The Top, Shooting 1-Under

Much of the field has teed off in the first round of the 2012 Masters, and four players are tied atop the leaderboard at 1-under par. Martin Kaymer, Padraig Harrington, Stewart Cink and Aaron Baddeley hold the early lead at Augusta National.

Craig Stadler still rounds out the bottom of the field shooting a 6-over so far through 12 holes of play. Twelve other players are tied at even par early in the first day of the Masters, while another handful of players are shooting 1-over through the first couple of holes.

Tiger Woods just teed off in his pursuit of a green jacket, but his first shot wasn't how one of the Tournament favorites wants to get started. The bigger name players are now just getting set to tee off and start the Masters.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters Leaderboard Update: Padraig Harrington On Top Early With 2-Under Through 7 Holes

The 2012 Masters teed off early on Thursday morning at Augusta National Golf Club, but no one has really jumped out to a big lead as of yet. South Africa's Tim Clark is the furthest along, shooting through six holes at even par. Ireland's Padraig Harrington jumped out to the early top spot on the leaderboard through two holes, shooting 2-under after sinking an eagle on the the second hole.

Roughly one-third of the field has teed off so far at the 2012 Masters, and Craig Stadler is bringing up the bottom of the leaderboard at 5-over through seven holes. Randal Lewis is right in front of him with a 3-over through six holes, shooting a double bogey on the fifth hole.

The most notable American player to tee off in the Masters is Steve Stricker, who is even through two.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Tiger Woods Begins 2012 Masters With Hype, Confidence And Something To Prove

It's been almost four years since Tiger Woods has won a major, and since then he's undergone many changes. Can he get back on track at The Masters, picking up the chase of Jack Nicklaus' record in the process?

The Masters 2012: TV Coverage, Live Stream And More

The 2012 Masters first round is set for Thursday morning. Fans eager to watch Tiger Woods compete for a comeback win at a major against a stacked field that includes Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson and a host of others, all vying for the green jacket, will have a variety of viewing options.

ESPN will feature live coverage of the first round beginning at 3 p.m. ET. Fans can also tune in early for live video coverage of Amen Corner at Masters.com. Here's a complete look at the viewing and audio options for Thursday's first round:

LIVE COVERAGE ON MASTERS.COM

10:45 a.m. - 6 p.m.: 
Amen Corner live video coverage

11:45 a.m. - 7 p.m.
: Hole Nos. 15 and 16 live video coverage

12 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: 
Featured Group 1 live video coverage; 
Featured Group 2 live video coverage

3 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: 
Masters In-Depth live video coverage and highlights

MASTERS RADIO

2 p.m.: 
Masters Radio live audio

TV COVERAGE

3 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: 
Live coverage on ESPN

4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
: Live 3D coverage on ESPN 3D

8 p.m. - 11 p.m.: 
Replay of the telecast on ESPN

11:30 p.m. - 11:45 p.m.: 
Highlights Show on CBS

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.

Masters 2012 Weather Forecast: Possible Showers And Storms This Afternoon

Rain showers and possible thunderstorms are expected later this afternoon at Augusta National Golf Club. This could cause delays or possible postponement for some of the afternoon groups.

The first round of the Masters starts off with partly sunny skies and temperatures in the low to mid 60s. Clouds will increase through the morning and into the afternoon. There is just a small chance for an isolated shower or storm during the late morning.

The threat of showers and thunderstorms increases during the afternoon when we get into the heat of the day. Any storms that form could be strong and potentially severe with heavy rain, gusty winds and frequent lightning. High temperatures by the afternoon could reach the low 80s with winds out of the south-southwest between 5 to 15 mph. Rain showers and scattered thunderstorms should continue into the evening and overnight.

A chance of showers remains in the forecast for the start of the second round on Friday as the system that brought the rain Thursday slowly exits to the east. Rain threat is expected to diminish and end by Friday afternoon. It will be much cooler and breezy as temperatures will be in the mid 60s and winds out of the north-northeast at around 10 to 20 mph.

Weather forecast for the final two rounds looks very nice and pleasant. Sunny skies are expected both Saturday and Sunday with highs ranging from the low- to upper-70s.

For more weather updates online follow @BrianNeudorff on Twitter.

Conditions in August, GA: Click here for Current Weather Conditions | Look at Doppler Radar | Mobile Friendly Site | Mobile Radar

THURSDAY - FIRST ROUND:
8 a.m. EDT
Partly sunny – Winds: West 3-8 mph - temp: 64
10 a.m. EDT
Clouds & sunshine, isolated chance of shower/storm – Winds: West 5-10 mph - temp: 71
12 p.m. EDT
Clouds & sunshine, chance of shower or storm – Winds: WSW 5-10 mph - temp: 76
2 p.m. EDT
Mostly cloudy, chance of a shower or storm – Winds: WSW 5-10 mph - temp: 79
4 p.m. EDT
Mostly cloudy, possible shower or t'storm – Winds: SW 5-10 mph - temp: 81
6 p.m. EDT
Mostly cloudy, possible shower or t'storm – Winds: South 5-10 mph - temp: 77

FRIDAY - SECOND ROUND:
8 a.m. EDT
Mostly cloudy, chance of scattered shower – Winds: NNE 10-15 mph - temp: 54
10 a.m. EDT
Mostly cloudy, chance of scattered shower – Winds: NNE 10-15 mph - temp: 59
12 p.m. EDT
Mostly cloudy, chance of scattered shower – Winds: NNE 10-20 mph - temp: 63
2 p.m. EDT
Clouds & Sunshine – Winds: NE 10-20 mph - temp: 65
4 p.m. EDT
Clouds & Sunshine – Winds: NE 10-20 mph - temp: 66
6 p.m. EDT
Clouds & Sunshine – Winds: NE 10-15 mph - temp: 64

SATURDAY - THIRD ROUND:
8 a.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: NNE 3-8 mph - temp: 45
10 a.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: NE 3-8 mph - temp: 57
12 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: NE 5-10 mph - temp: 67
2 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: NE 5-10 mph - temp: 70
4 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: ENE 3-8 mph - temp: 73
6 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: East 3-8 mph - temp: 71

SUNDAY - FINAL ROUND:
8 a.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: West 3-8 mph - temp: 49
10 a.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: West 3-8 mph - temp: 62
12 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: West 3-8 mph - temp: 71
2 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: West 3-8 mph - temp: 75
4 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: WSW 3-8 mph - temp: 78
6 p.m. EDT
Sunny skies – Winds: WSW 3-8 mph - temp: 76

Masters Tee Times And Pairings: Mickelson, McIlroy, Watson All Start In The 1 PM Hour

After some inclement weather spoiled the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, the first round of the 2012 Masters is set to begin on Thursday morning, with Tiger Woods teeing off at 10:35 a.m. ET with "The Mechanic" Angel Jimenez and 25-year-old rookie Sang Moon Bae.

Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan and Peter Hanson are set for a 1:53 p.m. ET tee time, with Mahan coming off of his Shell Houston Open win to complement the headliner Mickelson. Rory McIlory and Bubba Watson will start just ten minutes prior, paired with Angel Cabrera. Cabrera was paired with McIlroy last year in the final round, when McIlroy collapsed down the stretch.

• 7:50 a.m. / 10:57 a.m. - Craig Stadler, Brendan Steele, Tim Clark
• 8:01 a.m. / 11:08 a.m. - Jose Maria Olazabal, Robert Garrigus, a-Randal Lewis
• 8:12 a.m. / 11:19 a.m. - Larry Mize, Paul Lawrie, Anders Hansen
• 8:23 a.m. / 11:30 a.m. - Ross Fisher, Ryan Palmer, Harrison Frazar
• 8:34 a.m. / 11:41 a.m. - Ben Crenshaw, Robert Karlsson, a-Bryden Macpherson
• 8:45 a.m. / 11:52 a.m. - Adam Scott, Bo Van Pelt, Martin Kaymer
• 8:56 a.m. / 12:14 p.m. - Steve Stricker, Padraig Harrington, Stewart Cink
• 9:07 a.m. / 12:25 p.m. - Aaron Baddeley, Kyung-Tae Kim, Lucas Glover
• 9:18 a.m. / 12:36 p.m. - Kyle Stanley, Jason Day, Bill Haas
• 9:29 a.m. / 12:47 p.m. - Trevor Immelman, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose
• 9:40 a.m. / 12:58 p.m. - Tom Watson, Johnson Wagner, a-Hideki Matsuyama
• 10:02 a.m. / 1:09 p.m. - Matt Kuchar, Geoff Ogilvy, Y.E. Yang
• 10:13 a.m. / 1:20 p.m. - Gary Woodland, Henrik Stenson, Alvaro Quiros
• 10:24 a.m. / 1:31 p.m. - Charl Schwartzel, Keegan Bradley, a-Kelly Kraft
• 10:35 a.m. / 1:42 p.m. - Tiger Woods, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Sang-Moon Bae
• 10:46 a.m. / 1:53 p.m. - Luke Donald, Francesco Molinari, Nick Watney
• 10:57 a.m. / 7:50 a.m. - Scott Verplank, Sean O'Hair, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano
• 11:08 a.m. / 8:01 a.m. - Mark O'Meara, Chez Reavie, Martin Laird
• 11:19 a.m. / 8:12 a.m. - Sandy Lyle, Simon Dyson, a-Corbin Mills
• 11:30 a.m. / 8:23 a.m. - Ian Woosnam, Eduardo Molinari, Kevin Chappell
• 11:41 a.m. / 8:34 a.m. - Louis Oosthuizen, Mark Wilson, Graeme McDowell
• 11:52 a.m. / 8:45 a.m. - Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter, a-Patrick Cantlay
• 12:14 p.m. / 8:56 a.m. - Kevin Na, Fredrik Jacobson, Ben Crane
• 12:25 p.m./ 9:07 a.m. - John Senden, Jonathan Byrd, Paul Casey
• 12:36 p.m. / 9:18 a.m. - Bernhard Langer, Jason Dufner, Charles Howell III
• 12:47 p.m. / 9:29 a.m. - Mike Weir, Brandt Snedeker, Webb Simpson
• 12:58 p.m. / 9:40 a.m. - Vijay Singh, Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk
• 1:09 p.m. / 10:02 a.m. - Thomas Bjorn, Scott Stallings, Rory Sabbatini
• 1:20 p.m. / 10:13 a.m. - Fred Couples, Darren Clarke, Ryo Ishikawa
• 1:31 p.m. / 10:24 a.m. - David Toms, K.J. Choi, Sergio Garcia
• 1:42 p.m. / 10:35 a.m. - Angel Cabrera, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson
• 1:53 p.m. / 10:46 a.m. - Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Peter Hanson

For more on the 2012 Masters, be sure to visit SB Nation's golf page and this StoryStream.