12.41 ? I duck under the ropes behind the green and sidle along the front of the grandstand to join the gaggle of officials and photographers standing under a TV tower. The first person I meet is an official called Alec. I ask if he?s seen any birdies. ?Not a single one and I?ve been here since the start.? He says. Oh dear. ?I did see one chap miss the green 60 yards right.? He continues. ?Who was that?? I ask. ?Not sure,? says Alec. Good old Alec.
12.42 ? Anthony Wall (+3), Geoff Ogilvy (+4) and Todd Hamilton (+9) arrive at the green. Ogilvy?s found the putting surface, Hamilton?s gone right and Wall left. Hamilton chips up and inevitably misses the proceeding putt. He?s having a shocking round but still manages a smile for the gallery as he taps in for bogey to go double figures over par. Ogilvy makes a regulation par, no mean feat here, and Wall is left with a six-footer for par. He lets out a blood curdling groan as he lips out on the right side. It clearly meant a lot to him.
12.47 ? The grandstand behind the 16th is already full with a queue of at least 20 people waiting to get in. Pretty busy I comment to the photographer beside me. ?Aye, Tiger?s in four groups' time,? he replies.
12.48 ? Stephen Ames (+9) has missed the green some 30 yards left. I know it?s the best side to err on but that is a little ridiculous.
12.52 ? Paul Casey (+1) and Drew Weaver (+3) are playing with Ames. Neither of them hits the green either but they?re much closer than Ames whose maniacal grin is really quite disturbing, particularly as he was out in 42. The Canadian is so far off the green he needs to play almost a full shot for his second. It?s a beauty though and it checks up three feet from the pin. Casey and Weaver fail to get up and down but Ames stops the rot with a great par save.
12.58 ? An ooh from the grandstand as Carl Pettersson (-1) just falls off the right side of the green. His ball that is, not Carl himself.
1.01 ? The arrival of golfing royalty in the shape of Nick Faldo (+6). He?s accompanied by Trevor Immelman (-1) and Carl Pettersson. Four players in the last two groups have been sponsored by Nike, there?s been a proliferation of swooshes.
1.04 ? I?ve just noticed this entire group is using long putters. Faldo and Immelman who are very trim are using bellies. Ironically, Pettersson, who has quite a big belly, is using a broom-handle.
1.08 ? A few spots of rain begin to fall but everyone makes a par. Good work from Faldo and the boys.
1.12 ? T Woods minus 10 minutes. People are gathering around the green anticipating the arrival of the world number one. The grandstand is full to bursting and there are a few more photographers lurking in the wings. I ask one of the spectators if they?re waiting for Woods. ?Yeah, I?ve followed him all day,? he says. ?I go two holes ahead and wait for him to come through.? Not my idea of fun.
1.13 ? Davis Love (+5), Adam Scott (+3) and Hideto Tanihara (-1) are the next group through. Love looks seriously unhappy. Davis? caddie shakes his head every 15 seconds. Either it?s involuntary or he?s very unhappy with his man.
1.15 ? Huge crowds now, four deep around the green.
1.18 ? Woods' group must have lost ground as there?s no sign of them.
1.21 ? Still not on the tee.
1.23 ? Here they are. Tiger (-1) stands up and fires one off with an iron. It?s right on line but it falls short of the putting surface. Justin Rose (+1) and Paul Lawrie (+3) go left.
1.25 ? There?s a mass exodus from the stand behind the tee as Tiger heads greenward. Woods still has his mits on. It?s not that cold Tiger you big wuss. Woods? entourage is quite incredible. The head count is: 22 photographers, three film crews, 14 marshals, four policemen and about 5,000 spectators.
1.32 ? Woods has holed for a two from off the front edge. I was beginning to think no one was going to birdie the hole but Tiger?s saved the day. Steve Williams punches the air, Woods grins and tips his cap and the American?s army of supporters go ballistic. Thankfully nobody shouted ?Get in the hole? or ?Youdda Man? so everybody could enjoy the excellent birdie.
1.35 - Tiger makes his way off the back of the green and through the pack of photographers. He?s looking quite smooth until he clears his nose in the style of a builder in a hurry.
1.38 ? I?m one of about 5,000 people deserting the 16th hole. I?m off back to the Media Centre, the other 4,999 are going on with Tiger.
So in an hour of play 15 men have come through this tough hole. There?s been one birdie, nine pars and five bogeys: an average of 3.27. Only two men hit the green and nobody found a bunker.
