It might not have been rock bottom for Henrik Stenson as he packed his bags on a January Friday night and slunk out of the 2012 Qatar Masters after another missed cut but the Swede had every reason to feel low.

Leave it to the barons who oversee a golf tournament that seemingly makes time stand still to orchestrate things so that an icon from 50 years ago would outdrive by a few yards today’s most heralded name.

Paul Lawrie made his first round in The Masters since 2004 one to remember at Augusta National today.

Graeme McDowell was pleased with his decision to contest the Shell Houston Open despite posting a highest score on American soil in three seasons.