...many casualties on Emerald Course

In an interview with Tiger Woods, when asked about how he played, he smilingly said, "Well, I converted a 90 into a 74, didn't I?" That just about sums up how badly, and how well, the world's number one player played.

The course conditions were so bad, the greens so rapid and hard and the sudden cold (starting at 7degrees C and warming to 12 degrees by three in the afternoon) so devastating that it caused the number of players in the red numbers (in golf, unlike in business, red numbers are good.

The larger the number the better you are doing) to shrink from yesterday's nine to only five today; the lead is at 2 under compared with yesterday's 3 under par and the cut is at an astonishing high of 8 over at 152, the highest the cut has been at since 154 in 1982 On a good day even Vikramjeet Singh might have made the cut!

Tiger's statement needs to be explained. He admitted that he simply could not draw the ball, and this is much needed because many holes bend right to left, resulting in his being in the woods often; when he tried to force a draw he semi-hooked it into the woods again. It left him difficult and dangerous shots to the green, and occasional chip-outs from pine needle-infested woods, which he then miraculously converted into saves. When seeing the number of double bogies and worse, today (and yesterday), his admission rings true.

I was witness to at least two brilliant saves. One was a remarkable do or die 3 wood shot from a bed of pine needles (standing on which one gets no purchase) in between loblolly pines on Yellow

Jasmine (the par five 8th) to about a 100 yards away and then pitching about 30 feet to the right of the pin and spinning it back to two inches from the cup for a tap in birdie.

The other was on the eagleable 15th (Firethorn) where he flew the water ringed green almost into the water beyond. From there, a chip that had to run uphill and then stop pretty damn quickly on a glassy green brought out a deafening roar from spectators. The recovery was on.

Tiger also said that it was very difficult to score birdies and that all he was planning to do was to plod along stoically. Asked if there was something wrong with his swing, he said no, but that something appeared to be wrong with his driver which he had to sort out by tomorrow.

When Tiger is hitting a shot, even if there are five thousand spectators, you cannot hear a sound except for nature's work of growing the grass! That could be because there are too few Indians who regrettably, in tournaments in India, do not bother with such elementary etiquette.

At one point it looked as though Tiger's score could have ballooned into his missing the cut. This raised the anxiety count far above the pollen count and yet the respectful gallery of thousands loyally followed his every shot. My belief is that this happens not only because he is a great champion but also because his manners, courtesy, method of handling himself with players, media, the public and his public charitable work for kids through his Tiger Foundation, make him a perfect role model for any human being.

No one can follow all the players all the time. I would have loved to have followed some Europeans that I had written off as having no chance. So, just to prove me wrong, Casey, Harrington, Ogilvy, Appleby, all scored 2,3,4 under par to put themselves definitely in contention. With 44 players, plus ties, and all those within 10 shots of the leader (at 2 under), the number of players in the last two days will be not more than 50. Maximum 25 pairings is most unusual but that's the way the cookie crumbles. Normally it is about 72 players.

And now, finally, to the Singhs; both, the First (Vijay) and "the other" (Jeev). Vijay had a dreadful round at one under for the day, to stand at level par 144. One may say that he successfully converted a five or six under to a one under. Still, he lies fourth and is in the mood to win...if only his putter does not let him down. He has changed his grip yet again in a desperate attempt to make it work; maybe the cold front descending on Augusta will help.

He remembered me from the pro-am I played with him in Singapore and from the BILT skins game in Delhi. His courtesy extended to conveying his warm regards to Pippa (ironing shirts in the hotel).

Jeev had an excellent round under the circumstances. First time out and tied with Tiger Woods in this tournament which, it is said, Tiger would like to own. His driving was superb, probably the best of the day, but his putter did not do what it should have.

In a personal interview with him, he said that, because of anxiety of where his shot was going, he often stood up on his shots causing indifferent results. He lost the balance of his pre- and post-shot routine owing to some nervousness. He avers that he has never come across greens such as these "" they spread terror "" and is reconciled to not being aggressive, having patience and having an enjoyable time. Jeev has an excellent attitude and who knows, the Force may be with him!