Today's other stories in brief

An honour for Arnie

It didn't look much like the stroke of a Masters champion, and certainly not someone who had won the green jacket four times, as Arnold Palmer's drive as honorary starter to the 71st Masters tournament veered left into the cathedral pine trees with the velocity of a misguided missile. The good news? Nobody got hurt.

The Masters has not had an honorary starter since 2002, when Slammin' Sam Snead hit the ceremonial first drive. He died, aged 89, the following month.

Palmer (77), made his 50th and final competitive appearance here in 2004, and yesterday began his new duties as honorary starter, with Augusta National chairman Billy Payne introducing Palmer with the words: "The King has returned and reclaimed his place on the first tee."

The introduction to the thousands who lined the first fairway came after a minute's silence in memory of two-time Masters champion Byron Nelson, who died last year.

Palmer was accompanied on the first tee by his caddie David Chapman, who was carrying a full bag of clubs.

Palmer's drive was not a thing of beauty, but, in explaining pulling the shot left, he joked afterwards that he didn't want to hit the ball in the bunker on the right of the fairway. It was an emotional moment for Palmer, who felt that the time was right for him to take on the duties last held by Snead.

"I didn't want to get up and die before I did it," he said. "Getting to my age, you've got to think about that.

Not-so fairways

Augusta National officially plays to a length of 7,445 yards; but, in truth, it plays longer.

The reason? The fairways are mowed backwards, to reduce the run of the ball.

Clark's classy finish

Tim Clark just loves the 18th hole. In last year's final round, the South African holed out with a bunker shot for birdie to claim the runner-up position behind Phil Mickelson on his own. In yesterday's first round, Clarke finished off his round with a 60-footer for birdie to record a 71. "The putt was tough, as I had to use the slope of the bank and I was about eight or nine feet off the green. I putted, and it was like a U-turn . . . it just went off the green and came back and dropped in. It was exciting, but not as much as the bunker shot last year."

Winds catch Ferrie

Kenneth Ferrie could never be accused of being a wise-cracking comedian, and his opening 75 didn't go close to bringing a smile to his face. "It was okay, so-so," he remarked of his first round at the Masters. Ferrie, who contended strongly in the US Open at Winged Foot last year, was downbeat about his round. "I didn't get what I deserved. I hit some good shots which caught the wind when it switched in mid-flight and didn't end up anywhere near where it should have," he said.

Welcome to Augusta, Kenny.

Time waits for no golfer

The Black Knight, or Gary Player if you prefer, will remember the 71st Masters for one reason: he equalled the record 50 appearances in the tournament held by Arnold Palmer. However, Player's round of 83 confirmed how time has caught up as he failed to register a birdie in a mixed bag that included five bogeys, two double bogeys and a triple bogey.