Masters Underway In Augusta

The Masters golf tournament is underway from Augusta this morning. The first threesome teed-off right at 8 o’clock--Ian Woosnam, Chez Reavie, and Briny Baird. The groups of golfers will continue to start their rounds into early afternoon. That includes Tiger Woods, who’s won four times at Augusta. Woods tees-off at 1:52 today. Last year’s defending champ, Trevor Immelman, starts in the group preceding Woods. Weather in Augusta this morning was fair and 53-degrees at the tournament's start. The Augusta-area is headed for a high of 77 under mostly sunny skies, with a west wind of 6-8 mph.

A programming note that GPB's Georgia Gazette will originate from Augusta and the Masters tonight--Mary Ellen Cheatham hosting. Join us on the GPB Radio network at 6pm, 7pm in Athens, or join us online at gpb.org to stream the show.

Immelman enters final round atop leaderboard at Masters in Augusta

Trevor Immelman enters the final round of the Masters Tournament in Augusta on Sunday atop the leaderboard again at 11-under par 205.

It's a huge comeback for the South African golfer, who was plagued with illness, and a stay in a hospital, during Masters Week in 2007. He managed to play that year, but ranked 55th.

Brandt Snedeker was second by the end of the third round on Saturday, scoring a 9-under-par 207.

Tiger Woods played better on Saturday, scoring 68. That comes after lackluster play in the first two rounds. He tees off in the final round on Sunday with a score of five-under-par 211.

Lightning interrupted the tournament for about 45 minutes during a thunderstorm on Saturday. The forecast for Sunday calls for sunny skies and a high of 68, but wind gusts up to 23 mph are predicted.

Georgia sports for Friday, April 11th

Round-2 of the Masters is on tap today from Augusta. Out of Thursday's round-1, it was a tie atop the leaderboard, as Justin Rose and Trevor Immelman led the field. Both fired opening-round 68's to go 4-under-par. There was a group of 3 golfers 1 stroke back at 3-under. The 2-under group, 2 shots off the top included defending champ Zach Johnson. The group 3 strokes off the lead included 2-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson. For Tiger Woods, he carded an opening '72' to start the tournament even-par, 4 strokes off the lead.

The Atlanta Braves will look to snap a 3-game losing skid when they open a weekend series at Washington tonight. The Braves' 4th game to close their series in Colorado yesterday afternoon was snowed-out--the contest will be made up in June. Tim Hudson is expected to get the starting pitching call against the Nationals this evening.

Tiger plays even in Masters tournament in Augusta

British golfer Justin Rose and South African Trevor Immelman are currently atop the leaderboard at the Masters Tournament in Augusta.

Today was the first of four rounds in the tournament.

Tiger Woods ended up behind the leaders, playing even and finishing with a par 72.

But the tournament is still early, and Woods is still favored to win.

Woods has set a major goal for himself. He has publicly stated that he wants to win all four championships this year.

British golfer Ian Poulter took an early lead tied for second during the day, but was bumped a bit down the leaderboard by the end of the day. He's tied for fifth.

In a celebrated play, Poulter scored a hole-in-one at the 16th hole.

Poulter had set his own goal. He said recently he thought he could be Woods's main challenger. His comments had been met with laughs and controversy.

"Amongst the guys, it was friendly banter," Poulter told reporters after finishing the first round. "But to open the newspaper and see the comments in there, and see what people think and compare you to Tiger, I wasn't comparing anything to Tiger."

Fog delayed the first round Thursday by an hour.

There are three more rounds in the Masters. The second round is Friday.

Tiger Woods wants Grand Slam, starting with Masters in Augusta

Four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods says it's possible that he could win the Grand Slam, all four major golf championships, this year.

"I've done it before; I've won all four in a row," Woods told reporters at the Augusta National Golf Club on Tuesday. "Majority of my career, I think this is my 12th or 13th season out here, and nine of those years I've won five or more tournaments, so just got to win the right four."

But the championships are all in the same calendar year this time, and the Masters is the first tournament.

Two-time champion Phil Mickelson says it's not impossible, but he's skeptical.

"I think that's the most difficult feat in golf," said Mickelson. "I think it'd be pretty cool to see it done. The last tournament or two there would be some incredible pressure."

The defending champion, Zach Johnson, is not concentrating so much on the Grand Slam.

"If it even crossed my mind, and I can't recall if it did...it was in my mind briefly," said Johnson. "I'm pretty realistic about things."

Johnson won the Masters in 2007.

Tournament play starts Thursday.

The competitors played practice rounds on Monday and Tuesday.