Woods holds silence over Masters protest

Tiger Woods completed the first stage of his attempt to win an historic third successive US Masters victory, and his fourth in total, by determinedly not getting involved in the controversy about Augusta National's all-male membership. Woods, who became an honourary member of the club following his first victory here in 1997, said it was not his place to speak out on the issue.

"Everybody knows my opinion but I don't have a vote on how things are run at this club," Woods said. The world No 1 is on record as saying women should be allowed to join the club. "In the last two weeks the affairs of our country overseas has been taking up my attention."

Woods raised the issue of minorities' place in the game in an advertising campaign when he turned professional. Asked if he was still as passionate on the matter, he replied simply: "I am." To the suggestion that it was not as obvious, he said: "That is just your opinion."

Darren Clarke slept in yesterday and missed the chance to have a practice round with Woods as the soggy preparations for the 67th Masters finally got underway. Though there was more rain in Georgia early in the morning the gates opened on time at 8am.

After the course was closed on Monday due to thunderstorms and a deluge of rain the players were keen to get out when they had the opportunity yesterday with more storms forecast for later in the day. Woods, as is his custom, was long into his practice round when the gallery was allowed in.

In fact, around the time Clarke was waking up at 6.30, Woods and Mark O'Meara, who between them have won four of the last six Masters, were just about to go out. Clarke, who had a week at home after the Players, returned to the States on Sunday and was in bed early on Monday. "It was good and bad," Clarke said. "It would have been great to play a practice round with Tiger but in a busy week like this it is good to get as much rest as possible."

That Clarke remains in relaxed mood is probably his greatest ally. "In the past I've probably spent six or seven hours on the practice range at a major and that was probably to my detriment," said the Irishman, who was eighth here in 1998. Instead Clarke played nine holes with Padraig Harrington and let his countryman find other playing partners at the turn. "They have not been able to get the mowers out and the greens have not been cut as low as they would like so nine holes was enough."

Harrington finished second at the Players Championship at Sawgrass but then missed the cut at the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta last week. "I played twice as well last week than I did at the Players," Harrington said. At Sawgrass he was wayward off the tee but scrambled superbly to stay in contention.

In Atlanta he was driving long and straight but was exhausted. "I was really tired and could not get my focus. Leading at Sawgrass from the first round really took it out of me."

Colin Montgomerie played alongside Bernhard Langer and admitted to picking the brain of his Ryder Cup partner. All set to return home after missing the cut at the Players Championship, as he has at all but one of his events this year, Montgomerie in fact stayed in the States for a family holiday.

Justin Rose, making his first appearance here, was sporting Augusta headcovers for his three-wood and putter after using Monday's delay for a little retail therapy. He played with Nick Faldo, who was pointing out all the hole locations that will be used when the action gets serious.