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2012 Masters: Bubba Watson Wins Tournament On Second Playoff Hole

Bubba Watson wins the 2012 Masters on the second playoff hole defeating Louis Oosthuizen.

2012 Masters: Bubba Watson Wins Tournament On Second Playoff Hole

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82 Total Updates since March 31, 2012

 

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Bubba Watson Pink Driver Is Available Online, Proceeds Go To Charity

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Bubba Watson Wakes Up, Still Is Masters Champ

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Schedule for 2013 Masters

While it hasn't even been 24 hours since Bubba Watson sank the final putt in the second playoff hole to win the 2012 Masters, it is already time to look ahead to the schedule for next year's tournament at Augusta.

The 2013 Masters week will run from April 8 to April 14. The first three days will include the practice round, while the tournament will officially begin April 11.

It will be the latest that Masters has ended since 2002. In that tournament, Tiger Woods won his third green jacket, shooting 12-under-par to defeat Reteif Goosen by three strokes.

Watson will look to become the first back-to-back winner of the tournament since Woods did it in that 2002 tournament.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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Masters 2012: Bubba Watson Never Dreamed He Could Win

Bubba Watson dreamed of having a putt to win the Masters, but the ending never turned out the way it did on Sunday.

“I dreamed about it,” he said. “But in my dream I never made the putt.”

After defeating Louis Oosthuizen in a two-hole playoff to win the Masters, Watson broke down, crying for several minutes while being greeted by friends and family. Afterwards, that emotion came out again when he talked to reporters.

“This is the mecca. This is an honor and special privilege to put the Green Jacket on. It’s a special time, a special place."

While Oosthuizen was defeated in the playoff, his double-eagle on the second hold was the shot of the tournament, and afterwards, he joked about Watson's reaction to it.

“My first double-eagle ever,” Oosthuizen said. “Bubba said he wanted to come over and give me a high-five but thought it might not come off well. If he came over now, I’d probably knock him out.”

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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Masters 2012 Purse: Bubba Watson Takes Home $1.4 Million For Tournament Win

By winning the 2012 Masters Tournament, Bubba Watson not only takes home the green jacket but also pockets $1.44 million in prize money for his efforts. The 2012 Masters featured a purse of $8 million dollars that was split up to where the top 20 players earned at least $100,000.

Runner-up Louis Oosthuizen might be disappointed with his second place finish but he takes home $864,000. Four players tied for third place including former Georgia Tech alum Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson who all take home $284,000.

Here is a look at the unofficial results for the Top 10 money winners at the 2012 Masters:

1st: Bubba Watson, $1,440,000
2nd, Louis Oosthuizen $864,000
T-3rd, Lee Westwood, $284,000
T-3rd, Matt Kuchar, $284,000
T-3rd, Peter Hanson, $284,000
T-3rd, Phil Mickelson, $284,000
7th, Ian Poulter, $268,0000
T-8, Adam Scott, $244,000
T-8, Padraig Harrington, $244,000
T-8, Justin Rose, $244,000

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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Video: Bubba Watson Dons The Green Jacket As 2012 Masters Champion

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Video: Bubba Watson Taps In To Secure 2012 Masters Championship

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Video: Bubba Watson's Miracle Shot From The Woods

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2012 Masters Update: Bubba Watson Wins Tournament On Second Playoff Hole

Bubba Watson's miracle shot on the second playoff hole of the 2012 Masters set the stage for a truly remarkable win over Louis Oosthuizen.

Watson took the honors on the second playoff hole but lost his tee shot deep into the woods at the No. 10. Oosthuizen only needing to hit the middle of the fairway inexplicably also lost his tee shot right but caught a break when it bounced out of the woods and into the rough.

Oosthuizen's approach shot came up short but appeared to be in good shape considering that Watson was buried deep in the woods and facing a difficult hook shot around the trees. Watson played the shot perfectly and the ball found the center of the green while Oosthuizen watched.

From there Oosthuizen pitched up the hill and then missed his birdie and par attempts leaving the door wide open for Watson who lagged his third shot and tapped in the par put to claim the championship.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters Update: Bubba Watson, Louis Oosthuizen Finish At 10-Under

Louis Oosthuizen and Bubba Watson could be headed to a playoff as long as Phil Mickelson doesn't do anything superhuman on his final hole.

Oosthuizen left the door slightly open for Watson on the final hole when his approach shot carried up the hill leaving a tricky downhill putt for birdie. Ooshuizen's birdie attempt just missed but he mastered the speed of the putt and prevented it from running too far by.

Watson's approach carried off to the right but left him with a fairly level putt that he missed to the right. Watson tapped in for his par and Oosthuizen made his par putt back up the hill to force an eventual playoff.

Watson and Oosthuizen will wait for Phil Mickelson and Jason Hanson to finish their round before beginning the playoff at the 18th hole.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters Update: Matt Kuchar In The Club House At 8-Under

Matt Kuchar wrapped up his final round at the 2012 Masters with a 3-under 69 and 8-under for the tournament. Kuchar briefly held a share of the tournament lead on both Saturday and Sunday and is currently tied for third place.

Kuchar's round began with birdies at No. 3 and No. 7 before a double bogey at nine derailed his start. Kuchar rebounded with birdies at No. 12 and No. 13. He nearly holed his approach shot on the par-5, 15 and eventually tapped in for an eagle. However a bogey at 16 derailed his momentum and he finished his round with pars on the final two holes.

Kuchar opened the tournament with a 1-under 71 and followed that up with back-to-back rounds of 70 before Sunday's 69.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters Update: Bubba Watson Ties Louis Oosthuizen For Tournament Lead

Bubba Watson's birdie at the Par-3 16th has tied him with his playing partner Louis Oosthuizen at the top of the leaderboard in the final round of the 2012 Masters.

Watson hit a brilliant tee shot at No. 16 rolling to within a few feet and leaving a nice straight putt. Oosthuizen's tee shot also found the green but came up short and he missed a much longer putt before tapping in for his par.

Watson is 4-under on the round and has birdied four straight holes to take a share of the lead with just two holes remaining. During the tournament Watson birdied the 17th hole in the second round and the 18th in Saturday's third round.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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VIDEO: Matt Kuchar Nearly Perfect Approach Shot At 15

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2012 Masters Update: Matt Kuchar Ties For The Lead, Bubba Watson One Back

Matt Kuchar tied Louis Oosthuizen with a brilliant eagle at the par-5 15th after nearly making the approach shot. The Eagle moves Kuchar to 4-under on Sunday and 9-under for the tournament.

Bubba Watson is one shot back after a birdie at No. 14. Watson landed a nice approach shot at the back of the green on No. 14 and had it back up to within just a few feet of the hole. That gave Watson back-to-back birdies after dropping a shot at No. 12. He is 2-under on the day and eight under for the tournament.

Louis Oosthuizen made an outstanding putt for par on No. 14 to retain the lead but both Kuchar and Watson are keeping the pressure on as we get to the final holes of the tournament.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters Update: Louis Oosthuizen Leads Peter Hanson, Lee Westwood By One

Lee Westwood missed a short eagle attempt at the par-5 15 but tapped in for birdie to move to within one shot of the lead at 7-under. Westwood is tied with Saturday's third-round leader Peter Hanson and Matt Kuchar.

Louis Oosthuizen leads the tournamnet at 8-under through 12 holes of his final round. Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson and Ian Poulter are all tied for fourth place at 6-under.

Matt Kuchar followed up a double bogey at the ninth with back to back birdies at No. 12 and 13 to once again move into striking distance of the lead. Bubba Watson had been 7-under and one shot off the lead but a bogey at No. 12 dropped him back into a tie for fourth place.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters Update: Matt Kuchar Slides Back With Double Bogey

Matt Kuchar wrapped up the front nine with a double bogey at the par-4 ninth to fall four shots back at 5-under. Kuchar birdied No. 3 and No. 7 to get to 7-under for the tournament and within two shots of the lead.

Kuchar's approach shot into the ninth left him a tricky putt back down the hill which he missed to the left. His par putt up the hill lipped out leaving him with a three-putt and a disappointing six on the scorecard.

Kuchar currently is tied for fifth with both Ian Poulter who is 3-under in the fourth round and Padraig Harrington who is 1-under on Sunday. On Saturday Kuchar briefly held the lead on Saturday before falling back.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters Update: Matt Kuchar, Bubba Watson Both Two Strokes Back At 7-Under

Former Georgia Tech and Georgia golfers Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson are still in contention at the 2012 Masters at 7-under which is two strokes behind Louis Oosthuizen.

Kuchar is two-under through the first eight holes and missed another birdie opportunity on the eighth hole. He opened the Masters with a 71 on Thursday and has shot 70 on both Friday and Saturday.

Bubba Watson opened with a bogey on the first hole for the second straight day but birdied No. 2 and No. 5 to get to 7-under. Watson shot an opening round 69 on Thursday and followed that up with a 71 on Friday and a 70 on Saturday.

Oosthuizen grabbed the lead with a double eagle on the second hole of his round but Kuchar and Watson both are in position should he falter.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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VIDEO: Louis Oosthuizen's Double Eagle And Awkward High Five With His Caddy

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VIDEO: Bo Van Pelt's Hole-In-One In The Final Round Of The Masters

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Masters 2012: Sergio Garcia Says 'I'm Not Good Enough For The Majors'

Sergio Garcia was once tabbed the next young phenom who would lead the PGA following in the shadows of Tiger Woods. Its crazy to think that Garcia's now been playing at Golf's highest level for 13 years, and in those 13 years Garcia is 0-for-49 in major tournaments. A phenom's legacy unfulfilled.

Speaking with the Spanish press Saturday night after falling out of contention with a 75 in the third round of The Masters, Garcia gave some refreshing commentary about his lack of winning and his perspective on things. Via The Golf Channel's "Live From The Masters" coverage:

"After 13 years, today was the day...I don't have the capacity to win a major...It's the reality. I'm not good enough and now I know it. I tried for 13 years, thinking I can win. I don't know what happens to me...It could be something psychological, but if the shots don't fall...it is simpler than it seems. After 13 years, I have run out of options. I'm not good enough for the majors. I will try to be second or third...You can live without a major."

He will probably face a ton of scrutiny for these words, but I personally find these words candid and refreshing. Garcia's self-doubt and reflection is something we all deal with and managing the issues head always seem to work out better that way.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard over at Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters: Peter Hanson and Phil Mickelson Tee Off At 2:40 PM, Tiger Woods Even Through 6

Easter is being celebrated all across the globe on Sunday, and there were many that thought on this day we would see the resurrection of Tiger Woods with the chance to winning a newly fitted green jacket. Those hopes for the comeback for Tiger died effectively on Saturday, as the par round performance wasn't enough to keep up with the leaders.

Par, is where Woods stands through six holes on the final round thus far, as a birdie on hole No. 2 was negated by a bogey on hole No. 5.

The leaders of the tournament are set to tee off later this afternoon as Peter Hanson at nine-under, and Phil Mickelson at eight-under will step up to the first hole at 2:40 p.m. Eastern.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard over at Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters: TV Coverage, How To Watch Online And More

Final round coverage of the 2012 Masters will begin with online streaming from Masters.com at 11:45 a.m. from Amen Corner. Television coverage begins at 2 p.m. on CBS.

Peter Hanson begins play on Sunday with a one-stroke lead over Phil Mickelson and will be in the final pairing that is scheduled to tee off about 2:40 p.m. Matt Kuchar shared the lead for a portion of Saturday and is in fifth place four-shots back. He will get underway at 2:20 p.m. and will be followed by Bubba Watson who is six-under and three shots back at 2:30 p.m.

Here is a complete rundown for Sunday's online and television coverage of the 2012 Masters:

Live Online Coverage At Masters.com

11:45 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Amen Corner live video coverage

12:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Featured Group 1 live video coverage
Featured Group 2 live video coverage

12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Hole Nos 15 and 16 live video coverage

TV Broadcast Coverage

2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Live Coverage on CBS

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters: Tee Times, Pairings For Final Round

The final round of the 2012 Masters is set with pairings and tee times, and if Saturday is any indication of Sunday play then golf fans will definitely be in for a treat for the final round. Peter Hanson and Phil Mickelson are atop the leaderboard with Hanson at 9-under and Mickelson at 8-under which means they will be paired together as the final group. The two will tee off at 2:40 p.m. ET. History is on the side of Mickelson and Hanson as the champion has typically come from the final group on Sunday.

Both Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar are in the later pairings on Sunday and the two golfers are within striking distance of the leaders as Watson is three strokes back while Kuchar is only four strokes back.

The two favorites who nearly everyone thought would at least be in contention and in one of the final groups were Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, but those two have had a poor showing and are in two of the earlier groups on the final round and are not going to be factor on Sunday.

Here are notable tee times and pairings:

11:30 a.m. ET - Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh
12:00 p.m. ET - Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell
1:20 p.m. ET - Fred Couples, Jason Dufner
1:50 p.m. ET - Ian Poulter, Francesco Molinari
2:00 p.m. ET - Lee Westwood, Paul Lawrie
2:10 p.m. ET - Padraig Harrington, Henrik Stenson
2:20 p.m. ET - Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan
2:30 p.m. ET - Bubba Watson, Louis Oosthuizen
2:40 p.m. ET - Phil Mickelson, Peter Hanson

Here is a complete list of Sunday tee times and pairings.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard over at Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as SB Nation's golf blog,Waggle Room.

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Masters 2012: Bubba Watson Is 3 Strokes Back Of Leader Heading Into Final Round

Bubba Watson started Round 3 a bit bumpy on the front nine holes where he bogied two holes and was 2-over through five holes, but then converted two birdies to get back to even at the halfway point.

On the back nine Watson was able to pick up his game as he birdied holes 13, 15 and just like most all golfers birdied on hole No. 18. Watson had only one bogey during that stretch which came early at hole No. 11.

Watson now heads into Sunday play just three strokes behind Peter Hanson who shot a 7-under on Saturday and is 9-under overall for the tournament.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard over at Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as SB Nation's golf blog,Waggle Room.

Check out the SB Nation Channel on YouTube

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Masters 2012: Matt Kuchar Heads Into Final Round Four Strokes Behind Leaders

Matt Kuchar has been consistent in this years 2012 Masters by shooting rounds of 71, 70 and 70 to be at 5-under par for three rounds. Kuchar was atop the leaderboard for a short while and was 3-under on the front nine, but he stumbled some on the back nine holes where he bogied hole No. 13 and 16 before rallying on the final hole to get a birdie to finish his round at 2-under par.

After three rounds of play Kuchar is very much in the hunt on Sunday as he is sitting alone at fifth place and is only four strokes behind Peter Hanson who is leading at 9-under par.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard over at Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

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Video: Phil Mickelson Moves To Within One Shot Of The Lead

Phil Mickelson fired off a third-round 66 to finish at 8-under for the tournament and trails the leader Peter Hanson by just one shot entering Sunday. Phil punctuated his round with a brilliant approach shot on No. 18 and then sank the birdie putt to finish off the round.

Mickelson recorded four birdies and an eagle to make his charge up the leaderboard. Louis Oosthuizen is in third place at 7-under and Bubba Watson is fourth at 5-under.

Mickelson began his round by shooting even par on the front nine before going to work on the back. He birdied No. 10 and 12 and followed that up with his eagle at No. 13. Mickelson closed his round with another birdie at No. 15 and closed things out with a beautifully played 18.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard at Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters Update: Peter Hanson Finishes Round At 9-Under

Peter Hanson began the day 2-under for the tournament and three shots behind the leaders but heads into the club house with a two shot lead over the competition at 9-under after a tournament best 7-under 65 in the third-round.

Hanson leads both Phil Mickelson and Louis Oosthuizen by two strokes each. Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson are tied for fourth place at 5-under.

Hanson began his third-round with a bogey on his opening hole but then rattled off eight birdies including four on the last five holes of his round. He finished five-under on the back nine and appears to be a lock for the final group on Sunday's final round.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard at Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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ANIMATED: Phil Mickelson Joins Leaders At 7-Under

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2012 Masters: Peter Hanson, Louis Oosthuizen Tied For The Lead

The round of the day could very well belong to Peter Hanson who is in progress of shooting a 4-under through 15 and has birdied three of his last four holes to move into a tie for first place with Louis Oosthuizen.

So far on the day Hanson has made six birdies and only one bogie which was all the way back on hole No. 1. Coming into Saturday's round Hanson was at a respectable 2-under par but now after a barrage of birdies he will be in contention heading into Sunday's final round.

Hanson still has three holes left in Saturday's round to try to create some separation between Oosthuizen and the others chasing the leaderboard.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard at Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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Video: Phil Mickelson's Eagle Gives Him A Share Of The Lead

Phil Mickelson joined a crowded group at the top of the leaderboard of the 2012 Masters with an eagle at the Par-5 13th. Mickeslon joins Matt Kuchar, Louis Oosthuizen and Peter Hanson who are all 6-under for the tournament.

Hanson and Mickelson are both 4-under in the third-round while Kuchar is 3-under. Mickelson overcame a 74 on Thursday's opening round and bounced back with a 68 on Saturday. If he can finish strong he is good position heading into Sunday's final round.

Five different players are all 4-under for the tournament including Hunter Mahan and Padraig Harrington who are both began the day at even par. Bubba Watson is three strokes back at 3-under.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard at Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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ANIMATED: Matt Kuchar Takes Lead On Hole No. 9 With Birdie Putt

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2012 Masters Update: Matt Kuchar Moves Into A Tie For The Lead

There has some been some movement at the top of the Masters leaderboard and there is a new contender with former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Matt Kuchar who has moved up seven spots to be in a tie for first place at at 5-under par with Lee Westwood.

Kuchar on the day is currently at 2-under through the eighth holes while Westwood is 1-under through six. The top of the leaderboard is crowded with four players just one stroke back and six others are two back of the leaders.

One golfer that is making a run on Saturday is Francesco Molinari who is 4-under through 16 holes, and currently is having the best round among those in contention.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard at Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

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ANIMATED: Matt Kuchar's Incredible Bunker Shot On The Fourth Hole At The Masters

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2012 Masters Update: Jason Dufner Moves To 6-Under, Fred Couples Sliding

Fred Couples stay at the top of the leaderboard was short lived on Saturday after putting up a bogey on the opening two holes of the third round. Couples playing partner Jason Dufner recorded a par on the opening hole and a birdie on the 2nd to take sole possession of first place at 6-under for the tournament.

Lee Westwood birdied the second hole to also move to 5-under for the tournament and is currently alone in second place. Westwood led for most of Friday before a double bogey on the 18th hole dropped him to 4-under.

Three players are all four under including Henrik Stenson who is 2-under on Saturday and Georgia Tech alum Matt Kuchar who is 1-under. Louis Oosthuizen is also 4-under and even par for his round on Saturday.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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2012 Masters Update: Tiger Finishes Third Round Where He Started, 3-Under Par

Tiger Woods needed a strong performance during "Moving Day" of the Masters to put himself in title contention in Augusta. Woods got started off strong for the second day in a row, as huge birdies on the third and fourth hole pushed him up the leaderboard. However, untimely bogeys on holes six and nine quickly killed any momentum that Woods had begun to build up. Woods did manage to keep his composure after the bogeys and played even golf throughout his back nine.

Woods missed several chances to eat into the deficit but missed birdie putts and getting on the green proved to be a bit difficult for the Stanford alum. The leader of the tournament is Jason Dufner, who currently sits atop of the leaderboard at 5-under par as his third round is now underway.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here courtesy of Sports Illustrated and Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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2012 Masters Update: Tiger Woods Bogeys Ninth Hole, Sits At 3-Over Par Through Front Nine

Tiger Woods began his third round on Saturday at Augusta National at 3-over par. After nailing back-to-back birdies on holes three and four, he found bogey on the sixth hole. The par-3 hole slowed Woods' momentum and brought him back to 2-over. Over the last two holes it seemed as Tiger had calmed back down, parring holes seven and eight, yet hole nine served as another setback as a bogey to end the front nine has Woods where he started at 3-over par.

Current leaders Jason Dufner and Fred Couples will begin their journey on the course officially at 2:45 p.m. Eastern, as both sit at 5-under par for the tournament.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here courtesy of Sports Illustrated and Golf.com.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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2012 Masters Update: Tiger Woods Attempting To Battle Back; Birdies Third, Fourth

The PGA's most popular golfer, Tiger Woods, had a rough outing on Friday as he shot a 75 and after his even score on Thursday's first round, he found himself at 3-over par and eight strokes behind leaders Fred Couples and Jason Dufner, who are at 5-under.

After parring the first two holes in Saturday's third round, Woods began his attempt to battle back by birdieing the third hole, shooting a three on the par-four third hole and then birdieing the par-three fourth hole. Woods is now just 1-over par and he has more than enough holes left to put himself in great position heading into the fourth and final round. They don't call Saturday moving day for nothing.

For more updates, follow SB Nation Atlanta's StoryStream and check out the leaderboard over at Sports Illustrated for a full list of golfers, tee times and updated scores. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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2012 Masters: TV Coverage, How To Watch Online And More

The 2012 Masters continue on Saturday as cuts have been made, eliminating a good portion of the field. The Masters won't be on TV until this afternoon, but if you're itching to see some more golf action before then, you're in luck because Masters.com's coverage of at Amen Corner begins this morning online.

That's good because the nation's most popular golfer, Tiger Woods, tees off with Charl Schwartzel early this morning and will try to turn things around, so you'll be able to watch what he does before the Masters TV coverage. Phil Mickelson also tees off before TV coverage begins.

Here's a rundown of the online coverage and when ESPN will begin its broadcast (all times Eastern):

11:45 a.m.: Amen Corner Coverage at Masters.com
12:30 p.m.: Featured groups one and two live coverage at Masters.com
12:30 p.m.: Holes No. 15 and 16 live coverage at Masters.com
3:30 p.m.: Live coverage begins on CBS

For more on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub, as well as SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

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Masters 2012 Tee Times And Pairings For Round 3

The Masters is halfway done and the leaders are a 52-year-old Fred Couples -- who is looking to win his second Masters and first since 1992 -- along side Jason Dufner who are sitting at 5-under par. Those two are being chased by a group of five other golfers who are just one stroke back and three others just two strokes back with 36 holes to play.

Tiger Woods who was the heavy favorite heading into the Masters is struggling and is 3-over par and eight strokes behind the leaders. It will take a monster comeback and collapse from the leaders for Woods to even get near the top of the leaderboard.

Here are notable tee times for Saturday's third round. All times are Eastern.

10:45 a.m.: Charl Schwartzel, Tiger Woods
1:15 p.m.: Sean O'Hair, Jonathan Byrd
1:35 p.m.: Peter Hanson, Aaron Baddeley
1:45 p.m.: Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson
1:55 p.m.: Ben Crane, Charles Howell III
2:15 p.m.: Bubba Watson, Paul Lawrie
2:25 p.m.: Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy
2:35 p.m.: Louis Oosthuizen, Lee Westwood
2:45 p.m.: Jason Dufner, Fred Couples

Check out the leaderboard over at Sports Illustrated for a full list of golfers, tee times and updated scores.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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VIDEO: Tiger Woods Interview Following Second Round Struggles

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2012 Masters Update: Tiger Woods Struggles, Sitting At 3-Over Heading Into Weekend Rounds

Tiger Woods finished the first round of the masters with an even par score. He started the second round out strong. He birdied two of the first three holes to get to 2-under par, but he finished the day 3-over with a second-round score of 75. Things started to go downhill after he bogeyed on the fourth hole.

Woods was unable to bounce back from that and by the time he finished, he had bogeyed the sixth, ninth, 11th and 16th holes as well. By the time he had finished, he was not only struggling on the green, but in other aspects of his game as well. He was hitting balls into the crowd and showing all his frustration on his face, even once dropping and kicking his club.

Woods' entire day can be summed up by the following look:

Sadtigerrr_medium

The projected cut is at 6-over, so Woods isn't in danger of not making it this weekend, but if he has another day like he did today on Saturday, he will likely be too far behind to have a shot at winning, especially if leaders Fred Couples and Jason Dufner continue to pull away.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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2012 Masters Update: Atlanta Natives Bubba Watson, Matt Kuchar In Good Position

After the first two rounds of the 2012 Masters tournament at Augusta National, Atlanta-area golfers Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar are both in good position heading into the weekend. The projected cut is going to be at 5-over par and neither Watson nor Kuchar, are anywhere close to being in danger as Watson is one stroke behind at 4-under par and Kuchar is two behind at 3-under par.

Watson didn't have as good of a round as the 69 he shot in the first round, but he still finished Friday with a 71, putting him at 4-under par. After bogeying on the fifth and ninth holes, he turned things around on the back nine, birdieing 13, 15 and 16.

Kuchar shot a 71 on Thursday and was able to beat himself with a 70 on Friday. He birdied the 13th and 15th holes and bogeyed the 17th and then finished out strong with a birdie on 18.

Both Kuchar and Watson are in good position to challenge the leaders, Jason Dufner and Fred Couples, who are both at 5-under par after two rounds.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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2012 Masters Update: Tiger Woods' Struggles Continue

Tiger Woods, professional golfs most popular figure, started the day off strong, but has struggled heading into the 15th hole of the second round of the 2012 Masters tournament. He started the day strong, with a birdie, a par and another birdie, but has since bogeyed on four of the next 11 holes, paring the rest. He is currently sitting at 2-over par, seven strokes behind leaders Jason Dufner and Fred Couples.

Woods has struggled on the green over the last few holes, but that is leading to a bad overall game. Here on the 15th hole, Woods sends a ball into the crowd.

And then had to chip over a group of people to get back on the green.

Sand_medium

The frustration continued on the 16th hole as Woods hit another bad shot, dropped and kicked his club in disgust, showing how even the best golfers in the world can be humbled by Augusta National.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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2012 Masters Update: Tiger Woods At 1-Over After Nine Holes In Second Round

Tiger Woods is on the back nine in the second round of the 2012 Masters tournament and is currently six back from the current leaders, Jason Dufner and Fred Couples, who are currently sitting at 5-under par. After finishing the first round at even, Woods has taken his first step into the positive side of the field, with a 1-over par score, which he got after shooting a five on the par-four ninth hole.

After a strong birdie, par, birdie start, Woods has struggled with three bogies in the following six holes. Many of Woods' struggles have come on the green as he has been unable to finish holes strong.

Woods isn't in danger of missing cut by a long shot, but if he continues to struggle in the short game and fall farther behind the leaders, he could put himself in a hole that is too deep to climb out of. However, we're talking about Tiger Woods, who can also make up the six strokes before he finishes the day.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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2012 Masters Update: Sergio Garcia Falls Out Of Lead With Bogey On 18

Spanish professional golfer Sergio Garcia shared the lead in the 2012 Masters through most of the day with Jason Dufner, Fred Couples and Lee Westwood at 5-under par. First it was Westwood who fell out of the lead, shooting a double bogey on the par-4 18th hole and then it was Garcia.

On the 18th and last hole of the second day of the 2012 Masters, Garcia shot a five on the par four, dropping his score from 5-under part to 4-under, one stroke behind Dufner and Couples. He is now tied at one stroke behind with Miguel Jimenez, Lee Westwood, Bubba Watson, Rory McIlroy, Louis Oosthuizen and Nich Watney. Everyone is done with their day except for Jiminez and Watney, who are both on the eighth hole.

Tiger Woods, who is also on the eighth hole, is even on the day and for the tournament.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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2012 Masters Update: Lee Westwood Falls Out Of Lead With Double Bogey On 18th Hole

Lee Westwood was back on top of the leaderboard at the second day of Masters tournament play before he double-bogeyed the 18th and final hole of the day. That puts him behind Rory McIlory, Fred Couples, Sergio Garcia and Jason Dufner, who all share the lead with a 5-under par score.

Dufner is done for the day, and shot 2-under in the second round to set himself up for the contention and four-way tie for the lead. Couples is shooting an impressive 5-under par on the day through 17 holes. Through 16 holes, McIlroy and Garcia are shooting 5-under on the day as well as 5-under on the tournament.

Tiger Woods is minus-one through five holes, while defending champion Charl Schwartzel is one-under through six holes.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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2012 Masters Update: Jason Dufner Takes The Lead On 16th Hole

Jason Dufner took the lead over Lee Westwood with a birdie on the 16th hole and now sits at the top of the leaderboard with a 6-under par score and 3-under for the day.

Peter Hanson, who had tied for the lead much earlier in the round, double-bogeyed on the 11th hold and sits in ninth place at 2-under par.

Rory McIlroy is tied for fifth-place with Fred Couples, Ben Crane and Francesco Molinari, who all sit at 3-under par. Tiger Woods birdied his first hole of the day and is tied in 15th place.

If Dufner were to actually win, it would be only his third PGA Tour win of his career and his first majors victory. Dufner, 35, is a 12-year professional who finished second at the PGA Championship in 2011.

To follow our updates on the Masters, check out the story stream here. For more news and notes on the tournament, visit the SB Nation golf hub page.

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2012 Masters Update: Lee Westwood In And Out Of The Lead

Lee Westwood lost his lead in the Masters after Peter Hanson tied him with a birdie on the fourth hole in second round action and Westwood bogeyed on 11. But he responded with a birdie on 12 to reclaim his tie with Hanson.

Things are now starting to move quickly, with Hanson and Westwood battling at the very top, and Sergio Garcia on their heels, playing the best golf of the day shooting 3-under par after bogeying on 9. Prior to that, Garcia was red hot, hitting 4-under par through the first eight holes.

Rory McIlroy is making noise too, with a 4-under score through the front 9. Of course, the question always seems to be about how he handles the back end.

Defending Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and Tiger Woods should be teeing off any minute now.

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream right here. For additional news and notes on golf, visit the SB Nation hub page.

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2012 Masters Update: Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy Just One Shot Back From The Lead

Sergio Garcia has playing extremely well in the second round of the Masters and is 4-under on the day through eight holes. Since he came in at even-par from the opening round, the Friday score puts Garcia at 4-under par in the tournament and just one shot back from the lead with 10 holes to go on the afternoon.

Tied with Garcia for third place are Rory McIlroy and Ben Crane. McIllory is hitting 3-under par for the day, while Crane is 2-under in the second round through 13 holes.

Tiger Woods is set to tee-off in half an hour and sits at even-par, which is tied for 25th along with defending Masters champion Charl Schwartzel who is also set to tee-off soon.

Read more of our Masters coverage at our story stream here. Also be sure to check out the SB Nation golf hub page for additional news and notes on the Masters tournament and golf.

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2012 Masters Second Round Update: Peter Hanson Ties For The Lead

Peter Hanson has tied Lee Westwood for the lead at the Masters with a 5-under par score. Hanson is shooting 1-under on the day through five holes.

Westwood is shooting an even-par on the day and had the outright lead before Hanson tied it up. Rory McIlroy also made a big move in the second round and is tied for fifth place with a 3-under score and 2-under on the day.

Sean O'Hair, Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson have all had a good day so far on the green. O'Hair is tied for ninth with a 2-under par score, shooting 3-under on the day. Garcia is also tied for ninth, shooting 2-under this afternoon. Mickelson is also shooting 2-under for the day, but is tied is tied in 27th place with 11 others with an even par score in the tournament, including Tiger Woods.

Follow our updates on the Masters 2012 at our story stream here. For additional news and notes on the golf and the Masters, visit the SB Nation hub page.

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2012 Masters Second Round Update: Jonathan Byrd Shooting 3-Under Early

Play has resumed in Augusta, and the 2012 Masters is in the second round, with Lee Westwood atop the leaderboard at 5-under (he's made par through two holes Friday morning), while American Ben Crane is close behind at 4-under, shooting 1-under through six holes in the second round.

The hottest golfer thus far in the second round is American Jonathan Byrd, who followed his first round 72 with a blistering 3-under through five holes on Friday, good for a 25-place jump into a tie for fourth place with American Zach Johnson.

Crane is currently tied for second place with Swede Peter Hanson, who stands at 4-under after a first round 68, and teed off at 10:46 a.m. ET.

For a look at the live 2012 Masters leaderboard, click here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf page, and Waggle Room, SB Nation's all-golf blog.

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2012 Masters: TV Coverage, How To Watch Online And More

The second round of the 2012 Masters golf tournament is currently underway, and if you're already jonesing for coverage of the four-day event at Augusta National Golf Club you're going to need to wait until at least 10:45 p.m. ET. That's when Masters.com begins its online coverage at Amen Corner.

At about that time, the early-morning tee time will have completed front-9 play and will be making the turn to the back. First-round leader, Lee Westwood, should be done with his first four or five holes. Tiger Woods doesn't tee off until 1:45 p.m., about an hour before ESPN begins its live coverage on television.

Here's a rundown of the online coverage and when ESPN will begin its broadcast (all times Eastern):

10:45 p.m.: Amen Corner live coverage at Masters.com.
11:45 p.m.: Holes No. 15 and 16 live coverage at Masters.com.
12:00 p.m.: Coverage of featured groups 1 and 2 begins at Masters.com.
3:00 p.m.: ESPN's live coverage begins.

For more on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub, as well as SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

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Masters 2012 Tee Times And Pairings: Tiger Woods Off At Earlier Afternoon, Lee Westwood Mid-Morning

The second round of the 2012 Masters golf tournament is currently underway, and if day two of the four-day event at Augusta National Golf Club is anything like the first, fans are in for another solid day of golf. The conclusion of the first round, showcased 28 players finished under par with the leaderboard featuring England's Lee Westwood a top at 5-under par.

Tiger Woods (even-par) will begin his day five shots behind Westwood, while Northern Ireland's Rory McIlory (-1) is four back. The Masters defending champion, Charl Schwartzel is also at even-par, Phil Mickelson is 2-over par, while South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen and Sweden's Peter Hanson are in second place at 4-under par.

Now, that you have the first-round lowdown, here's the second round tee times and pairings(all times are Eastern):

  • 7:50 a.m. - Scott Verplank, Sean O'Hair, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano
  • 8:01 a.m. - Chez Reavie, Martin Laird
  • 8:12 a.m. - Sandy Lyle, Simon Dyson, a-Corbin Mills
  • 8:23 a.m. - Ian Woosnam, Eduardo Molinari, Kevin Chappell
  • 8:34 a.m. - Louis Oosthuizen, Mark Wilson, Graeme McDowell
  • 18:45 a.m. - Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter, a-Patrick Cantlay
  • 8:56 a.m. - Kevin Na, Fredrik Jacobson, Ben Crane
  • 9:07 a.m. - John Senden, Jonathan Byrd, Paul Casey
  • 9:18 a.m. - Bernhard Langer, Jason Dufner, Charles Howell III
  • 9:29 a.m. - Mike Weir, Brandt Snedeker, Webb Simpson
  • 9:40 a.m. - Vijay Singh, Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk
  • 10:02 a.m. - Thomas Bjorn, Scott Stallings, Rory Sabbatini
  • 10:13 a.m. - Fred Couples, Darren Clarke, Ryo Ishikawa
  • 10:24 a.m. - David Toms, K.J. Choi, Sergio Garcia
  • 10:35 a.m. - Angel Cabrera, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson
  • 10:46 a.m. - Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Peter Hanson
  • 10:57 a.m. - Craig Stadler, Brendan Steele, Tim Clark
  • 11:08 a.m. - Jose Maria Olazabal, Robert Garrigus, a-Randal Lewis
  • 11:19 a.m. - Larry Mize, Paul Lawrie, Anders Hansen
  • 11:30 a.m. - Ross Fisher, Ryan Palmer, Harrison Frazar
  • 11:41 a.m. - Ben Crenshaw, Robert Karlsson, a-Bryden Macpherson
  • 11:52 a.m. - Adam Scott, Bo Van Pelt, Martin Kaymer
  • 12:14 p.m. - Steve Stricker, Padraig Harrington, Stewart Cink
  • 2:25 p.m. - Aaron Baddeley, Kyung-Tae Kim, Lucas Glover
  • 12:36 p.m. - Kyle Stanley, Jason Day, Bill Haas
  • 12:47 p.m. - Trevor Immelman, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose
  • 12:58 p.m. - Tom Watson, Johnson Wagner, a-Hideki Matsuyama
  • 1:09 p.m. - Matt Kuchar, Geoff Ogilvy, Y.E. Yang
  • 1:20 p.m. - Gary Woodland, Henrik Stenson, Alvaro Quiros
  • 1:31 p.m. - Charl Schwartzel, Keegan Bradley, a-Kelly Kraft
  • 1:42 p.m. - Tiger Woods, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Sang-Moon Bae
  • 1:53 p.m. - Luke Donald, Francesco Molinari, Nick Watney

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

Check out the SB Nation Channel on YouTube

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2012 Masters Leadboard Update: Lee Westwood Leads After First Round

The opening round of the 2012 Masters is almost in the books, and a familiar face sits atop the leaderboard. Lee Westwood currently leads the entire field at -5, after shooting a 67.

Westwood has a one stroke lead over Louis Oosthuizen, who ended the day at -4 after shooting a 68. Oosthuizen had gone into the clubhouse as the leader, but Westwood eventually tied and took the lead while finishing up his back nine.

Six golfers are tied for third at -3.

Golf's biggest superstar Tiger Woods finished the day at even par after shooting a 72. Woods was at -2 headed into the 17th hole, but he bogeyed both the 17th and 18th to finish the day even par.

Rory McIlroy, one of the favorites to win the 2012 Masters, finished the day -1.

One of America's favorite golfers, Phil Mickelson, finished the round +2 after shooting a 74.

For more on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub, as well as SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters: Luke Donald Has No Issue With Scorecard, Will Not Be Disqualified

It looks like there isn't much of a controversy in August yet after all. The competition committee at the Masters had been reviewing Luke Donald's scorecard following his first round, where he shot a +3 75.

SI's Damon Hack originally tweeted that Donald shot 73 in the first round, which would have put him at +1. Hack then quickly corrected himself, saying that Donald shot a 75, before breaking the news that the competition committee was reviewing Donald's scorecard.

It's all much ado about nothing, though. Golf Channel's Jason Sobel tweeted that it was merely a problem with the fax -- and not Donald's scorecard.

This is, of course, great news, as you never want to see a golfer disqualified -- especially for fudging a scorecard.

For more on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub, as well as SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters Leaderboard Update: Lee Westwood, Louis Oosthuizen Lead Field

When Louis Oosthuizen finished his first round, he went into the clubhouse as the sole leader of the 2012 Masters. Oosthuizen's reign alone atop the leaderboard was short lived though, as Lee Westwood's birdie on the 13th hole brought him to -4 for the day, tying him with Oosthuizen.

Oosthuizen's day started off with six consecutive pars, before he bogeyed the seventh hole. Oosthuizen would go onto birdie the eighth, ninth, 12th, 14th, 15th, 17th and 18th holes to finish the day -4. He bogeyed the 11th and 13th holes.

Westwood, meanwhile, birdied the second hole, before bogeying the fourth. Westwood would then rattle off birdies on the fifth through eighth holes before bogeying the tenth.

Seven golfers currently sit at -3, including Americans Ben Crane, Jason Dufner and Bubba Watson. None of those three have finished their round.

Tiger Woods finished the day even par, shooting a 72, after bogeying the 17th and 18th holes.

For more on the Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub and golf blog, Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters: Competition Committee Reviewing Luke Donald's Scorecard

We're not even through the first round of play in the 2012 Masters, but there's already controversy brewing. Luke Donald finished the first round +3, shooting a 75, but there is controversy surrounding his scorecard. As such, the competition committee is currently reviewing Donald's scorecard, according to SI's Damon Hack.

Hack originally tweeted that Donald's 73, which would put him at +1, is legitimate. However, it appears that Donald shot a 75, which would put him at three over par. It shouldn't take long for the competition committee to figure out if Donald's scorecard is incorrect.

For more on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub as well as SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room. SB Nation Atlanta will also have coverage of the Masters in this story stream.

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2012 Masters Leaderboard Update: Tiger Woods Finishes First Round Even Par

It wasn't the best first round of Tiger Woods' illustrious career, but it wasn't a disaster either. Woods finished his first round at the Masters even par, and finds himself three strokes behind the leaders.

Woods finished the front nine one under par, with birdies on the third and eighth holes, and a bogey on the seventh. He then started the back nine strong, birdying the 10th hole, a par 4. Woods sat at two under par through the first 16 holes, but then bogeyed both the 17th and 18th holes, finishing at even par.

Each of the three holes that Woods bogeyed on the day were par 4s.

Woods is currently chasing Paul Lawrie, Miguel A. Gonzalez and Francesco Molinari, who all finished the day at -3. Bubba Watson is currently sitting at -3 through eight, and Lee Westwood is at -3 through ten.

For more on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out this story stream as well as SB Nation's golf hub and golf blog, Waggle Room.

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Masters 2012 Leaderboard Update: Tiger Woods, At -2, Three Strokes Behind Henrik Stenson

With the first round of golfers already back in the clubhouse and everyone else competing in the 2012 Masters still on the course, the early leader is Sweden's Henrik Stenson, whose raced out to a -5 (through 16), two shots ahead of Scotland's Paul Lawrie, who finished Thursday at -3.

Tiger Woods, at -2 through 14, is part of a big pack of golfers chasing Stenson.

There are several big names in early contention, including Lee Westwood at -3 (through 7), Keegan Bradley (through 15), Sergio Garcia (through 5) and Hunter Mahan (through 4) at -2.

Around half the field is currently at par or higher, with defending champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa (through 15) and Phil Mickelson (through 4) at E.

Rory McIlroy, one of the early favorites who had a spectacular collapse in the 2011 Masters, is right behind them at +1 (through 4).

For a complete look at the live Masters 2012 leader board, click here. For more up-the-second coverage of the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and stay tuned to the SB Nation Atlanta storystream.

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Masters 2012 Leaderboard Update: Tiger Woods At -1, Five Strokes Back

While there are 92 golfers competing for a green jacket at the 2012 Masters, there's no point in denying which one is the lead story. I'm speaking, of course, of last year's champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa Tiger Woods.

With the first groups back in the clubhouse already after an early morning start, Tiger is solidly in contention so far, checking in at -1 through 8 holes.

He's part of a large group of around 20 golfers currently under par and chasing Sweden's Henrik Stenson, whose gotten off to a blistering start at -6 through only 10 holes.

Tiger's most notable hole so far came at No. 2, when he pulled his drive to the left and hit a ball into a hazard but was able to pull out a par.

As is to be expected on the first day with many of the big names still waiting to tee off, there is a large group of mostly anonymous golfers tied with Tiger at -1, with Schwartzel one of them.

For a complete look at the live Masters 2012 leader board, click here. For more up-the-second coverage of the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and stay tuned to the SB Nation Atlanta storystream.

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Masters 2012 Leaderboard Update: Paul Lawrie, Henrik Stenson Lead At -3

With the first groups of golfers finishing their round of 18 on Thursday morning, Scotland's Paul Lawrie (through 15) and Sweden's Henrik Stenson (through 6) are on top of the leaderboard at -3.

Of the 64 golfers who have teed off, only 10 are currently below par.

Tiger Woods (through 5) is one of the group at -1, with Stewart Cink at -2 (through 10) and Padraig Harrington (through 10) at -1 the most notable names in contention early.

The Australian contingent has gotten off to a slow start, as Adam Scott (through 12) and Geoff Ogilvy (through 7) are both at +3.

Over half of the field of 92 has already begun play, but some of the biggest names are still waiting in the clubhouse, including Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Vijay Singh.

For a complete look at the live Masters 2012 leader board, click here. For more up-the-second coverage of the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf page and stay tuned to the SB Nation Atlanta storystream.

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Mark O'Meara Withdraws From 2012 Masters Due To Pulled Muscle

One green jacket dream has already ended before the entire field has even teed off at Augusta:

O'Meara was scheduled to tee off at 11:08 am ET, along with Chez Reavie and Martin Laird, and had played a practice round with friend Tiger Woods earlier in the week and took part in a rain-shortened Par 3 contest.

O'Meara has played in three PGA events in 2012, making the cut in one. He has 16 career wins and 119 career Top 10 finishes. Thursday was O'Meara's 29th Masters, a tournament he won once in 1998. O'Meara hasn't made the cut for The Masters since 2005, when he finished 31st.

O'Meara joins fellow American Dustin Johnson, who pulled out of the tournament due to a back injury.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's golf blog.

Check out the SB Nation Channel on YouTube

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Masters 2012 Leaderboard Update: Four-Way Tie At 1-Under Starts Morning Action

Just over a third of the field at the 2012 Masters has teed off through the end of the 10 a.m. EST hour in August, and while there are no major leads early on, Ireland's Padraig Harrington is atop the leaderboard through two holes, shooting 2-under after an eagle on the second hole. Harrington is currently tied with Aussie Aaron Baddeley, American Steward Cink and German Martin Kraymer, who is at 1-under through seven, the furthest along of those tied for first.

American Steve Stricker is even through two, and the bottom of the race belongs to Craig Stadler, at 5-over through seven holes, followed by Randal Lewis (3-over through six after a double bogey on Hole 5).

Tiger Wood has just teed off (10:35 a.m. ET), and some of the bigger names won't begin play until the 1p.m. ET hour.

For a complete look at the live Masters 2012 leader board, click here.

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

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The Masters 2012: TV Coverage Schedule, Plus Online Viewing Info

The 2012 Masters won't feature wall-to-wall coverage of the opening rounds, but fans will be able to access coverage in a variety of ways.

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 and specific coverage at Holes No. 15 and 16 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.

Check out the SB Nation Channel on YouTube

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2012 Masters: First Round Pairings For Thursday Features Tiger Mid-Morning, Mickleson And McIlroy In 1pm Hour

The tradition unlike any other is set to tee of its first round Thursday, with inclement weather likely passed over Augusta National for the time being. The 2012 Masters begins Thursday, with some key pairings to watch:

  1. Tiger Woods tees off at 10:35 a.m. ET with "The Mechanic" Angel Jimenez and 25-year-old rookie Sang Moon Bae.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
Here's a look at the complete list of pairings, as well as their accompanying times (all times are Eastern):

  • 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.

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VIDEO 2012 Masters Par 3 Tournament: Three Golfers Sink Hole In Ones

The Par 3 tournament at the 2012 Masters was unfortunately suspended and ultimately cancelled due to thunderstorms, but there were still a few highlights from the abbreviated tournament. Mark Wilson, Craig Stadler and Thomas Bjørn all sunk the most exciting shot in golf -- the hole in one.

Luckily for golf enthusiasts who didn't get to watch the tournament, we've got video of the three amazing shots.

Bjørn's shot of the day came on the 9th hole of the Par 3 Course at Augusta. Bjørn played a beautiful shot over the water to about 15 feet past the hole, spinning the ball back to the center of the cup for his ace.

Here's the video:

Craig Stadler, winner of the 1982 Masters, wasted no time, holing out on the very first hole of the Par 3 contest. Stadler's shot to the 130-yard first hole took an adventurous route to the hole, landing short of the green before bouncing 20 feet past the hole. The slope then took over as Stadler's ball trickled down the hill, left to right, sneaking in the side of the cup.

And last but not least, Mark Wilson, on the 4th hole. Like Bjørn, Wilson carried his ball over water to about 15 feet past the hole. Using the slope and a little bit of back spin, Wilson drew the ball back to the hole for his ace.

None of Bjørn, Stadler or Wilson won the competition, but they'll all remember their hole in one shots.

Padraig Harrington and Jonathan Byrd both shared the title, as they finished at five under par when play was suspended and ultimately cancelled. Byrd hit a birdie putt just before the sirens began to wail, signalling suspended play, which ultimately allowed him to stake a claim on the title.

For more coverage of the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub, as well as SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters: Par 3 Contest Cancelled Due To Inclement Weather

Unfortunately for golf fans, the 2012 Masters Par 3 tournament has been cancelled because of thunderstorms. Padraig Harrington and Jonathan Byrd were declared the winners of the tournament, as they both shared the lead at five under par before the tournament was cancelled.

Byrd was lucky enough to beat the sirens, as he tapped in his birdie putt on the ninth and final hole just as the sirens began to sound to suspend play. That putt tied Byrd with Harrington and allowed him to share the Par 3 title.

Adam Scott, Webb Simpson and Jerry Pate finished in a three way tie for second place at four under par. Unfortunately for Pate, he was only through the first five holes before play was cancelled.

Fan favorite Phil Mickelson finished tied for sixth with Kelly Kraft. Mickelson and Kraft both were three under par. A full leaderboard can be found at the Masters' official website.

For more coverage on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's Golf hub, as well as SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

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2012 Masters Par 3 Contest: TV Times, Online Streaming Coverage

One of favorite traditions of Masters week is the Par 3 contest that occurs on Wednesday before the actual event starts. Players get to play nine holes with many of the legends of the game in a fun build up for the tournament that begins on Thursday.

An interesting note is that no Par 3 winner has ever gone on to win the actual tournament which usually leads to many players going out of their way not to win. There are usually a number of highlights as well. There have been a total of 73 hole-in-ones in the Par 3 tournament history and were five in 2002 alone.

All times Eastern:

LIVE COVERAGE ON MASTERS.COM

9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Masters - On The Range live video coverage

3:00 p.m.
Live video coverage from the Par 3 Contest

TV BROADCAST COVERAGE

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Live Coverage of the Par 3 Contest on ESPN

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Live 3D Coverage of the Par 3 Contest on ESPN 3D

For more on the Masters, check out our StoryStream here. For more on Golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

Check out the SB Nation Channel on YouTube

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Masters 2012 Tee Times And Pairings: Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson Now Know Their Schedules

The 2012 Masters will tee off on Thursday at Augusta. Georgia's biggest golf event will have the world tuning in to see who can take home the elusive and prestigious green jacket that is awarded to the winner.

This year's field is headlined by Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy, but local players Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar are in the mix to win it all. Full pairings and tee times have been released for the first two rounds of play on Thursday and Friday. Here are the notable groups of three and their respective tee times.


Related: Complete Masters Coverage

All times are Eastern.

Thursday:

10:02 a.m.: Matt Kuchar, Geoff Ogilvy, Y.E. Yang
10:35 a.m.: Tiger Woods, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Sang-Moon Bae
12:58 p.m.: Vijay Singh, Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk
1:42 p.m.: Angel Garcia, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson
1:53 p.m.: Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Peter Hanson

Friday:

9:40 a.m.: Vijay Singh, Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk
10:35 a.m.: Angel Garcia, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson
10:46 a.m.: Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Peter Hanson
1:09 p.m.: Matt Kuchar, Geoff Ogilvy, Y.E. Yang
1:42 p.m.: Tiger Woods, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Sang-Moon Bae

You can find the full pairings and tee times for both days and for all 32 groups of players at the official Masters website.

For more on the Masters, check out our StoryStream here. For more on Golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

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Masters Golf Tournament 2012: Tiger Woods Discusses Rory McIlroy At Press Conference

The 2012 Masters will hold its opening round on Thursday. On Tuesday, current favorite to win and golf superstar Tiger Woods held a press conference.

While Woods spent some time talking about the course and his approach, several questions from the press centered around next-generation phenom Rory McIlroy, who is also among the favorites to win the tournament.


Related: Complete Masters Coverage

Woods was asked about McIlroy's record-setting win in the 2011 U.S. Open

"I hadn't met Rory at that time and I didn't know much about him. I hadn't played golf with him yet. The first chance I really got to sit down and talk with him was this year at Abu Dhabi, when we played nine holes together ... His recovery, it was cool to see someone learn from their mistakes like that and apply. He had one bad round, it happens to everybody ... That was some pretty impressive playing at the Open"

Woods was asked whether McIlroy reminds him of himself in any way.

"Yeah, the way he can move the ball out there. I used to move it like that, back in yesteryear. The way he plays and the way he handles himself out there ... He has all the makings of being a great champion for a long period of time. He just needs to get more experienced. It seems like every single tournament he's playing in, he's in the top 10. And that's great to see."

Woods has an opportunity to win his fifth Masters this week. If he should win the tournament, it would be his 73rd career win and would tie Jack Nicklaus for second-most wins all-time, behind Sam Snead's 82. The green jacket would also put him one behind Nicklaus' six Masters wins.

For more on the Masters, check out our story stream here. For more on Golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

Check out the SB Nation Channel on YouTube

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Masters Golf Tournament 2012: Dustin Johnson Withdraws Due To Injury

The 2012 Masters will have its first official round of play on Thursday, but already there has been a huge shock that will impact the prestigious tournament at Augusta National.

According to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post, Dustin Johnson has announced that he will be withdrawing from the Masters, citing injury.


Related: Complete Masters Coverage

Svrluga commented that Johnson's name did not appear on Tuesday's groupings sheet, so the PGA officials likely knew ahead of time that he would be unable to compete. The early word is that he tweaked his back prior to play opening.

Johnson had 30/1 odds to win the tournament before he announced he would be pulling out. He is currently the 39th-ranked golfer in the world.

For more on the Masters, check out our story stream here. For more on Golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

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Masters Golf Tournament 2012: Charl Schwartzel Wanted To Cook The Champions Dinner

Each year, on the Tuesday before the start of the Masters, past champions come together in the Augusta National Clubhouse to share their favorite memories The Champions Dinner. The way it's set up, the most recent champion selects the menu and gets to pay for the dinner, too.

And, well, if you're going to pay for something, you might as well make sure everything is properly taken care of yourself, right? That's what last year's Master winner Charl Schwartzel thought about this year's meal at The Champions Dinner, in which a South African barbecue called "braai" will be served.

Schwartzel wanted to be the grillmaster, which is not totally out of the question here, but his request was denied nonetheless. In situations where the food selected is unfamiliar to the August National chef, other chefs that specialize in the particular area are invited to come, such as when Vijay Singh brought in a Thai chef several years ago.

But with this barbecue, Augusta National should be able to handle it.

For more on the Masters, check out our story stream here. For more on Golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

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Masters Golf Tournament 2012: Lee Westwood Is Smarter This Time Around

Not too long ago, Lee Westwood shot a 13-under score of 275 at Augusta but was taken down by Phil Mickelson in 2010. Westwood has quite of bit experience playing on the course, dating back to his first time competing in the Masters in 1997.

He says his problem though is that he's played dumb in the past, being overly aggressive on different holes when it was key for him to be strategic in his approach. The 38-year-old veteran doesn't anticipate those sort of mishaps as the tournament approaches this week. Westwood is just looking to play smarter, like any other seasoned player would do.

"Hopefully I'll win and this year could be it," Westwood told the media. "I'm certainly playing well enough and getting my game together. At Augusta, I've always been fairly aggressive and gone at a lot of flags - probably more than I should have done. And it is a course you have to be very strategic on and play patiently. You learn it fairly quickly but if you are stupid sometimes, like me, it takes a while to sink in. You just can't help it and go at the flags but you need a bit of discipline. You need to go straight over the trap on No.12 and try to hit to the middle of the green. You make four threes there, I think most people would take that. That kind of thing."

For more on the Masters, check out our story stream here. For more on Golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

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VIDEO: Martin Kaymer Skips Pond, Makes Hole-In-One At Augusta

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2012 Masters Golf Tournament: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson Are The Favorites

The 2012 Masters is set to begin on Thursday and in the past it was always asked if one would take Tiger Woods or the field to win at Augusta. Well, Woods has struggled the past few years but he looks to be a contender after winning at Bay Hill two weeks ago.

However, Cameron Morfit who is a senior writer at GOLF magazine poses this question instead: Do you take the three-headed monster that is Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson and Woods, or the field?

The responses varied, but most felt that those three had a good chance at winning.

Adam Scott who finished second in 2011 believes that Woods has a great shot to win:

"I think certainly Tiger has got to be in the mix."

"He's playing well, and he's won four times here. He knows what he's doing. But you can say that about Phil, as well. There's too many guys. But someone can come up and surprise, and hopefully that's me."

Kevin Na sees the big three having the best shot to win, but does add the caveat that it really could be anyone:

"Those three have the best chance to win."

"You've got to hit it high and long around here, and they do. Does that mean they are the only ones who can win? No. I'm at a disadvantage, I'll be honest, but you've also got to chip and putt very well out here. Luke Donald did well here. Zach Johnson has won."

Even though Woods, McIlory and Mickelson are the favorites, one player that is under the radar that could make some noise is Robert Garrigus who is playing in his first Masters tournament. Garrigus has been playing Augusta this past week to get a feel for the course, and he is going with the field.

For more on the 2012 Masters be sure to stay tuned to this StoryStream. For more on Golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

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Masters 2012 Preview: One Natural Element Absent This Weekend

Few sights in sports rival that of the Augusta National golf course -- the annual home to the Masters -- but one natural element will be missing this week when play kicks off at golf's most prestigious event.

Due to an unseasonably warm winter and early spring across the country, the normally colorful course has largely fallen victim to early blooms. Most notably, the 13th hole, which typically showcases a spectacular array of colors from the roughly 1,600 Azalea bushes around it, will look far more green than players and viewers of the early-April tournament are accustomed to.

In fact, only a dozen or so bushes remain in bloom around the green on the 13th hole, a far cry from the normally full bloom seen each year around the hole.

Defending champion Charl Schwartzel says he saw the flowers, "But it was last week. I was a here a week ago last Thursday, and they were beautiful. But the first thing I thought was, 'They're all going to be gone.' I thought Augusta would be able to do something -- get the fans on them or something. It's weird."

The lack of color won't prevent the tournament from its usual dramatic thrills or quality golf, and anticipation is sky high with Rory McIlroy ready to continue building his legacy and Tiger Woods seemingly back to his winning ways.

Opening-round play begins on Thursday, with coverage on ESPN.

For more on the 2012 Masters be sure to stay tuned to this StoryStream. For more on Golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

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Masters 2012 Preview: Tiger Woods, Rory Mcllroy Return To Augusta

After earning his first victory in nearly three years, Tiger Woods enters Masters week as the prohibitive favorite. Along with Woods, Rory Mcllroy figures to be a strong contender again. Mcllroy was in the thick of things during the 2011 Masters before a final-round collapse.

From a local perspective University of Georgia products Bubba Watson and Bryden MacPherson along with Georgia Tech alumni Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar will all be in action this week. Augusta's own Charles Howell III also returns home as part of the 92 player field.

Here is a look at the complete schedule for the 2012 Masters:

Monday, April 2: Practice Round

Gates open at 8 a.m., gates close at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 3: Practice Round

Gates open at 8 a.m., gates close at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 4: Practice Round and Par 3 Contest

Gates open at 8 a.m., gates close at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Par 3 Contest begins at approximately 12:30 p.m. (Live coverage on ESPN from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.)

Thursday, April 5: First Round

Gates open at 7 a.m., gates close 30 minutes after play

Live coverage on ESPN from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 6: Second Round

Gates open at 8 a.m., gates close 30 minutes after play

Live coverage on ESPN from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 7: Third Round

Gates open at 8 a.m., gates close 30 minutes after play

Live coverage on CBS from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Sunday, April 8: Final Round

Gates open at 8 a.m., gates close 30 minutes after Presentation Ceremony

Live coverage on ESPN from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For more on the 2012 Masters be sure to stay tuned to this StoryStream. For more on Golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

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2012 Masters Field: 92 Participants To Take Part In Augusta National Showcase

The field for the 2012 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club is set after the completion of the Shell Houston Open. 104 players were invited to the event and 92 will actively be participating in the tournament that officially begins on Thursday.

The field is made up of past champions, winners of past PGA events and those ranked inside the Top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings. One notable player won't be making the trip to The Masters this year is Ernie Els who needed to win the Shell Houston Open but finished in 12th place. This will be the first time Els has missed the tournament since 1994.

Here is a look at the entire field for the 2012 Masters:

Aaron Baddeley (Australia)
Sang-moon Bae (Korea)
Thomas Bjorn (Denmark)
Keegan Bradley
Jonathan Byrd
Angel Cabrera (Argentina)
Patrick Cantlay
Paul Casey (England)
Kevin Chappell
K. J. Choi (Korea)
Stewart Cink
Tim Clark (South Africa)
Darren Clarke (N. Ireland)
Fred Couples
Ben Crane
Ben Crenshaw
Jason Day (Australia)
Luke Donald (England)
Jason Dufner
Simon Dyson (England)
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain)
Ross Fisher (England)
Rickie Fowler
Harrison Frazar
Jim Furyk
Sergio Garcia (Spain)
Robert Garrigus
Lucas Glover
Bill Haas
Anders Hansen (Denmark)
Peter Hanson (Sweden)
Padraig Harrington (Ireland)
Charles Howell III
Trevor Immelman (South Africa)
Ryo Ishikawa (Japan)
Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden)
Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain)
Dustin Johnson
Zach Johnson
Robert Karlsson (Sweden)
Martin Kaymer (Germany)
Kyung-Tae Kim (Korea)
Kelly Kraft
Matt Kuchar
Martin Laird (Scotland)
Bernhard Langer (Germany)
Paul Lawrie (Scotland)
Randal Lewis
Sandy Lyle (Scotland)
Bryden Macpherson (Australia)
Hunter Mahan
Hideki Matsuyama (Japan)
Graeme McDowell (N. Ireland)
Rory McIlroy (N. Ireland)
Phil Mickelson
Corbin Mills
Larry Mize
Edoardo Molinari (Italy)
Francesco Molinari (Italy)
Kevin Na
Geoff Ogilvy (Australia)
Sean O'Hair
Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain)
Mark O'Meara
Louis Oosthuizen (S. Africa)
Ryan Palmer
Ian Poulter (England)
Alvaro Quiros (Spain)
Chez Reavie
Justin Rose (England)
Rory Sabbatini (South Africa)
Charl Schwartzel (South Africa)
Adam Scott (Australia)
John Senden (Australia)
Webb Simpson
Vijay Singh (Fiji)
Brandt Snedeker
Craig Stadler
Scott Stallings
Kyle Stanley
Brendan Steele
Henrik Stenson (Sweden)
Steve Stricker
David Toms
Bo Van Pelt
Scott Verplank
Johnson Wagner
Nick Watney
Bubba Watson
Tom Watson
Mike Weir (Canada)
Lee Westwood (England)
Mark Wilson
Gary Woodland
Tiger Woods
Ian Woosnam (Wales)
Y. E. Yang (Korea)

For more on the 2012 Masters be sure to stay tuned to this StoryStream. For more on Golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

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The Masters 2012 Odds: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy Favorites To Win At Augusta

Now that the 2012 Masters field is official it is time to take a look at the updated odds on who wil win at Augusta this weekend. Prior to the 2012 Shell Houston Open Tiger Woods was the favorite at 7/2 and Rory McIlory was listed at 9/2.

Now the latest odds have cooled slightly on Woods and McIlory, but Phil Mickelson's chances improved after he finished in a tie for fourth at the Shell Houston Open.

Here are the latest 2012 Masters odds:

Tiger Woods 4/1
Rory McIlroy 5/1
Phil Mickelson 8/1
Luke Donald 15/1
Lee Westwood 18/1
Adam Scott 25/1
Keegan Bradley 30/1
Justin Rose 30/1
Bubba Watson 30/1
Dustin Johnson 30/1
Hunter Mahan 35/1
Charl Schwartzel 35/1
KJ Choi 40/1
Jason Day 40/1
Nick Watney 40/1
Aaron Baddeley 40/1
Sergio Garcia 40/1

For more on the 2012 Masters be sure to stay tuned to this StoryStream. For more on golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

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Masters 2012: Just How Does One Secure An Invite To The Masters?

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Could Ernie Els Miss The Masters For The First Time In 18 Years?

Ernie Els has been a staple of the PGA tour's elite since the mid-1990s. However, his inconsistent tournament play and lack of success could put him out of the PGA's biggest tournament for the first time in 18 years.

Els will miss The Masters tournament coming up unless the South African can win the Shell Houston open this weekend. Currently, Els is tied for 34th place at five-under. If Els misses out on the Masters, it will be the first time he's done so sine 1994.

Elis is a two-time runner-up at The Masters, finishing second in 2000 and 2004. Els has won three majors in his career, winning The U.S. Open twice (1994, 1997) and The British Open back in 2002. Els has won 64 tournaments in his career, 18 of them coming on the PGA tour.

For more on the 2012 Masters be sure to stay tuned to this StoryStream. For more on Golf in general check out SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room and SB Nation's dedicated golf hub.

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2012 Masters Golf Tournament: Tiger Woods Is Favorite To Win

This past weekend Tiger Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational by five strokes to claim his first PGA Tour win since 2009, and with this latest victory there is buzz about Woods once again. With less than a week to go before the 2012 Masters, Woods is the favorite to win his fifth Masters which would be his first since 2005. If Woods is able to win it also would be his first major victory since winning the 2008 U.S. Open.

Even though Woods has struggled over the past few years the public is betting heavy on Woods to win, and even changing his odds from 7/1 to 7/2 did not slow down the betting public.

Odds To Win 2012 Masters via Bovada:

Tiger Woods 7/2

Rory McIlroy 9/2

Phil Mickelson 10/1

Lee Westwood 14/1

Luke Donald 14/1

Adam Scott 28/1

Charl Schwartzel 33/1

Justin Rose 33/1

Bubba Watson 40/1

Jason Day 40/1

Keegan Bradley 40/1

Sergio Garcia 40/1

For more on The 2012 Masters Tournament head over to SB Nation's Golf Hub and Waggle Room.

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Masters Golf Tournament 2012 Field, TV Schedule For Georgia's Showcase Event

The 2012 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club will begin on Thursday, April 5 with the final round scheduled for Sunday, April 8.

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Photographs by coka_koehler used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.