Masters Gossip

It's Tough at the Top - Six players could be World Number One by the end of the week.

As if to prove the open nature of this Masters, six players could be No 1 come Sunday evening. The maths are complicated, so deep breath. Here's how it will pan out: If Westwood wins, he becomes No 1. If Mickelson wins, he becomes No 1 so long as Kaymer is not second alone. If Donald wins, he becomes No 1 so long as Westwood is not second alone and Kaymer is outside the top three. If McDowell wins, he becomes No 1 so long as Mickelson is not second alone and Westwood is outside the top four and Kaymer finishes outside the top 55 (or misses cut). If Woods wins, he becomes No 1 if Mickelson is not second alone and Westwood is outside the top three and Kaymer is outside the top 18. If none of the above happens, Kaymer remains No 1.

Sky gets the limit when at Augusta

Sky have quickly learnt that the Augusta Green Jackets are not yet totally beholden to the sporting master that is TV. Apart from continuing to limit the coverage, they limit the number of Sky workers who can produce this limited coverage. Apparently Sky – who are showing the Masters in 3D – asked for more than 100 accreditations. They were granted 41. I ask you, what does many millions buy you nowadays?

Choi's caddie gets stuck in the woods

Spare a thought for Andy Prodger, the former caddie of Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie, who had to wade through seven different head covers yesterday. The Englishman's employer, KJ Choi, teed off with no iron longer than a seven in his bag. Instead, Choi took hybrid woods – which aped the irons from three to six – in an attempt to hit the ball higher and hold the sloping greens.

All courtesey of James Corrigan - Independent

After dressing in all green - matching green pants, shirt, belt and hat - for the first round of his Masters debut, Rickie Fowler is promising more fashion statements. The American now plans to wear blue with stripes in Friday's second round, all green again on Saturday and an orange outfit on Sunday. - Associated Press

England's Luke Donald is donating $5,000 for every birdie he sinks at the Masters to the Japanese earthquake relief fund. He embarked upon a birdie, eagle, birdie run from the 14th hole on Thursday. - Daily Mail

Neck pain is putting struggling Padraig Harrington's Masters weekend in doubt. After his miserable five-over-par opening round, with two double-bogeys, he said: "I didn't take any painkillers. I was hoping it would go away, but it got worse." - Daily Telegraph

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy is turning into a big American football fan. He has confessed a love for the NFL's New York Jets, and is so intrigued that he even bought a football on Wednesday before tossing it around to kill time before his impressive opening round. - Associated Press

Spain's Alvaro Quiros, who birdied the last two holes on Thursday to tie for the first-round lead with Rory McIlroy, did not even check the leaderboard when he teed off in the final threesome of the opening round of the 2011 Masters. -  USA Today