Masters gets under way at Augusta

Gary Player joined Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer as honorary starters for The Masters - and showed them what he is still capable of.

The 76-year-old South African followed 82-year-old Palmer onto the tee for a ceremonial opening drive and found the middle of the fairway some 250 yards away.

It was around 50 yards further than Palmer and 72-year-old Nicklaus then split the difference between them.

With that the trio who used to be known as golf's "Big Three" - they have 13 Masters titles between them - retired to the clubhouse and allowed the tournament proper to begin.

Conditions were perfect for the early starters. Torrential rain on Tuesday night had softened up Augusta National and it was a bright, still morning as the 76th Masters began.

Despite the receptive greens and calm conditions there was still nothing easy about the 445-yard opening hole - as American Robert Garrigus showed.

After driving into the left-hand trees and coming up short of the green he duffed his chip and four-putted from 35 feet for a triple bogey seven.

Scot Paul Lawrie, back in the event after an eight-year absence, was relieved to walk off with a par. His first putt from 40 feet curled seven feet left of the hole, but he made it.

First player to make a birdie was South African Tim Clark at the long second, while European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal set off with two pars.