Irish fall into Hootie's trap

AUGUSTA National's revamped opening hole proved no friend of the Irish trio Brian McElhinney, Pádraig Harrington and especially Paul McGinley in yesterday's first round of the Masters.

In explaining why they moved the tee back to within touching distance of the practice putting green, the club chairman Hootie Johnson maintained it would "bring the left tree line closer to the fairway." It certainly worked where McGinley, especially, and Harrington were concerned as both fell straight into Hootie's trap.

While Harrington took his punishment by chipping out and settling for bogey, McGinley tried to punch his ball through a tiny gap in the woods only to hit a branch and after that there was no avoiding the double bogey six that would act as a millstone around his neck for the next four and a half hours.