Today's other stories in brief
Harrington retains bite
Jinx or no jinx, Padraig Harrington is determined to win the traditional eve-of-tournament Par 3 contest. No player who has ever won the competition has gone on to claim a green jacket in the same year but Harrington, a winner of the contest in 2003 and 2004, doesn't believe in such hogwash.
"I'll be trying hard," said Harrington.
The Dubliner underwent dental surgery on Monday for a loose filling that had been troubling him, and reported no ill after-effects.
"We may be able to hit a little white golf ball, but it doesn't preclude us from going to see our dentist and things like that," quipped Harrington.
Quigley awaits the call
American Brett Quigley is all-time money earner on the US Tour - $7.5 million (€5.6 million) - for a player who has never won a tournament, but the 37-year-old will make his Masters debut thanks to a strong start to the season that has seen him claim 10 top-10 finishes on tour this season.
Having spent so many years trying to make it into the field for the Masters, he is not guaranteed to be able to play. Quigley is on stand-by for a "phone call" from his wife, Amy, as the couple are expecting their first child. The due date is next week, but Quigley - whose wife is expecting a daughter - said he would love to be with her if the labour was early.
"I'm keeping my fingers crossed, (but) if my wife needs me, she'll call the club and we will have to pull up and leave."
McGinley odd man out
Odd man out! Paul McGinley is the only member of Europe's winning Ryder Cup team from The K Club last September not to make it into the field for the Masters. There are 17 eligibility criteria for receiving an invite to the Masters - but being a current member of a Ryder Cup-winning team is not one of them.
The other 11 members of the European team - Paul Casey, Darren Clarke, Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, David Howell, Robert Karlsson, Colin Montgomerie, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson and Lee Westwood - all made it to Augusta National.
All 12 members of the beaten US team are playing.
Faldo has peace of mind
Nick Faldo is guaranteed to be around come Sunday, without having to worry about surviving the midway cut. The Englishman has declined to take up his invitation to play in the Masters so that he can concentrate on his role as a television commentator with US broadcasting network CBS.
"I've had my era," said Faldo, a three-time Masters champion whose last win came in 1996, the year of Greg Norman's great meltdown. "It is a different game now . . . to keep up with everybody else, you have to be at it 24/7, and if you're not doing that, you can't. That frustrated me. I'm at peace with it. I am happy to say I've had my 30 years as a player and had my great moments."
Faldo, who has also embarked on a successful career as a golf course designer on top of his broadcasting duties, may not be playing, but he remains enthralled with the place.
"I actually love Augusta. It's a Picasso. It's a blooming Rembrandt. It's a Mona (Lisa), isn't it? It's like a work of art."
