Players managed practice rounds in the morning and afternoon on a day interrupted by mist and rain.
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A daily look at the happenings surrounding Tiger Woods at Augusta:
Woods got caught in the rain like much of the field Tuesday. He played early, so he got most of his practice round in before a two-hour delay because of rain and lightning. He then met with the media, admitting for the first time that he was tired early this year when he failed to win until March.
"I played too much at the end of last year," Woods said. "I played eight consecutive weeks, travelled more than 27,000 miles on four different continents and that put a toll on my body."
Is he rested for The Masters? "Totally," he said.
Woods found out who his playing partners will be for the first two rounds. He'll join Mike Weir, who he had a memorable battle with last year at Valderrama in a World Golf Championships event, and amateur Mikko Ilonen.
Ilonen is the 1998 Finnish Amateur champ and the first Finn in the field. He won the 1999 West of Ireland Amateur and the 2000 Jerez Cup in Spain and British Amateur.
He's played in one PGA Tour event -- he shot 78-82 at Bay Hill last month. He shot 71-74 and missed the cut at Dubai in an event Woods played in. Now, the 21-year-old will be under the biggest microscope of his life.
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Vijay's Day at Augusta
Vijay Singh came to the media center Tuesday. He was invited by the Masters brass to sit with 60-year tournament veteran Dan Yates at the head table and, as Yates said in his best Southern drawl, "make a few remarks before they have a go at you."
It was Singh's first pre-tournament visit face the press. As the defending champion, it seemed mandatory.
And it was almost ignored.
Preceeding Singh was David Duval, coming off an injury and the subject of much speculation. Four hours later, Tiger Woods was scheduled to address the assembled throng awaiting his thoughts on trying to win a fourth straight major. Phil Mickelson followed Woods.
Few awaited Singh, bidding to become only the third man in history to win back-to-back Masters titles -- Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus were the others. He's getting used to it.
"It's good in a way that the attention is somewhere else than the defending champion," Singh said. "It suits me just fine. It just gives me more time to myself, and concentrate on what I'm doing. Let the pressure be on somebody else."
Singh comes to Augusta playing as well as he ever has. He's finished in the top four five times this year and won twice on the European Tour. He was second to Woods at The Players Championship.
But other than last year, Augusta National hasn't been kind to Singh. He's missed two cuts and never finished higher than 17th in six other starts. He said he's not concerned.
"I'm looking forward to this week," Singh said. "I'm feeling good. My head is clear. I'm more happy this year than I was last year."
Even if nobody notices.
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The Spice Channel: Singh, as all defending champs get to, chose the meal for the Champions Dinner on Tuesday. His pick? Thai food. Spicy Thai food. He's even bringing in his own chef to help the Augusta National staff. "We're going to get some stomachs stirred up," Singh promised. For the less daring, steak, chicken and fish were also offered.
No comparison: Phil Mickelson was musing on the differences between the 17th hole at the TPC at Sawgrass (the island green) and the 12th hole at Augusta National. He said there's no comparison. "Well, 17 has three times the landing area as 12," he said. "So I don't see how 12 is not considered much more difficult." Several others players complimented Augusta National for its natural surroundings, alluding to the thought that Sawgrass is more contrived.
All that grass: For those trying to emmulate Augusta National at home, the fairway are mowed to 3/8-inch, the tees at 1/4-inch, the greens at 1/8-inch. The second cut of rough is 1-3/8 inches.
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OVERHEARD
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CLARKE
On the Grand Slam: "If (Woods) wins this week and holds all four, he can decide whatever he wants to decide. If he wants to decide it is a Grand Slam, he has every right to decide that it is." |
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DUVAL
On what he'd ask himself if he were a media member: "Ask me how my wrist is. Ask me if I feel like I had enough practice time. I mean, you all are covering it well. You are doing a good job." |
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WOODS
On whether he'd bet on himself, given the 5-to-4 odds posted in Great Britain: "Would I bet in myself? I believe in myself." |
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SINGH
On skipping his tee shot off the water at No. 16 during his practice round: "There's nothing wrong with that. I think it's a practice round, and it could get a little boring just seeing guys hit it on the green." |
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