SANDY Lyle, the lone Scot at the Masters, has been paired with Tim Clark, the South African who was runner-up to Phil Mickelson three years ago, as well as the American stalwart, Billy Mayfair for the opening two rounds of this year's event.
On his 28th visit to Augusta, the veteran is hoping to maintain an improved run of recent performances. He was 45th last year and 43rd in 2007. That said, the 1988 champion hasn't bettered 70 in any round at the Masters since carding 69 there 17 year
s ago.
While Lyle has an early start tomorrow in the second group, the patrons face a long wait to catch first glimpse of Tiger Woods. The world No 1 tees off in the penultimate three-ball with Stewart Cink and India's Jeev Milkha Singh at 1.52pm (6.52pm BST).
Rory McIlroy, making his Masters debut, follows Tiger at 2.03pm in a young-gun pairing with Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa and 23-year-old US Ryder Cup player Anthony Kim. Padraig Harrington's bid for a third successive major will start alongside Japan's Ryuji Imada and Mike Weir, the 2003 champion.
Meanwhile, Trevor Immelman – who will tee off with Adam Scott and Danny Lee tomorrow – hosted the annual champions dinner at the Masters last night and admitted: "It's probably going to be the highlight of my week."
Not that the South African totally dismisses his chances of a successful defence, but he is clearly struggling to come to terms with his status as the reigning champion at Augusta.
He added: "It's just going to be an honour for me to be in the presence of such great champions, guys that I've idolised and looked up to my whole life. Growing up I don't know whether I knew I had what it takes. I still haven't quite figured that out.
"In some senses I still don't think it's sunk in. I've been announced as the Masters champion a few times and every time it's goosebump stuff, just an incredible feeling. The first few holes are going to be tough because I'm going to have to quiet my mind and settle down as fast as I can. I'm going to need to find a way."
The holder chooses the menu for the clubhouse dinner and Immelman chose as his main course Babotie, a Western Cape dish of minced meat and rice, and a milk pie desert called Melktert.
Immelman has become an ambassador for Transitions lenses – they sponsored a recent PGA Tour event – and believes they have helped his career.
"They reduce glare and improve contrast to help me see my best," he said. "They allow me to better see the things I specifically need to on the golf course – like the lay of the grass and the break of the green."
Immelman's fellow South African Gary Player said this week's US Masters, his record 52nd appearance at the year's opening grand slam event, would be his last.
The 73-year-old, a three-times winner of the Green Jacket, said his 2009 tour of Augusta National Golf Club would mark his last appearance at a regular major championship. "I am getting old," said Player, winner of nine majors on the regular tour and nine more on the senior tour. "This will be my last major I play on the regular tour."
