8am Round-Up: More '˜severe weather' to hit Augusta National

Fans leave the course after a weather warning was issued during the first official practice day for the 81st Masters. Picture: AP

Yesterday’s first official practice day was hit by two separate storms, the second sweeping over Augusta National during a “tornado watch”.

Sunny weather is on its way today, according to weather forecasters, but it looks like being grim again for tomorrow’s final practice day and par-3 contest.

Another front is set to bring in more thunderstorms, meaning soft conditions for the start of the season’s opening major on Thursday.

Winds gusting up to 35mph will then ensure a stiff test in the opening two rounds before the event concludes in calmer and sunny conditions on Saturday and Sunday.

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Players and patrons were evacuated from the course around lunchtime on Monday due to a thunderstorm before a second clear out was enforced around 3pm due to tornado fears.

Damage was caused at a mall close to the course while trees were brought down nearby as well.

Scottish No 1 Russell Knox was among the players who beat the weather by heading out early in the company of American pair Brian Stuard and Billy Hurley.

“I was meant to get in today and practice in the afternoon, but I changed my travel plans to get in last night due to the weather forecast and I was able to get nine holes in this morning,” said Knox.

Looking forward to the rest of the week, he added: “The forecast keeps changing every day and it seems to be getting worse.

“Last year, it was pretty windy on the Thursday and Friday and it looks as though it is going to be that way again this year.

“If it’s going to be that windy, it is going to be hard, really hard, but I think I learned a lot from last year of how tricky the course can play.

“If the conditions are similar, then I should be able to put last year’s experience to good use.”

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US PGA champion Jimmy Walker has revealed that he has been diagnosed with glandular fever, claiming that has been responsible for some lethargic play this season.

“I’ve just felt so bad all year,” said Walker in his pre-Masters press conference. “I’ve had glucose testing, Lyme disease testing and we finally got it figured out.

“I’ve just been totally lethargic. I’ve had no energy. I get to the golf course and I just want to sit down.”

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Former Scottish Open champion Rickie Fowler has called for an immediate end to armchair fans influencing golf tournaments, saying they are “not making the game look very good at all”.

The American was responding to Lexi Thompson losing out in the ANA Inspiration, a women’s major, in California on Sunday after being hit with a four-stroke penalty.

The 22-year-old, who had been holding a three-shot lead but eventually lost out in a play-off to Korea’s So Yeon Ryu, was reported by a viewer via an email to the LPGA for a ball-marking breach at the 17th hole in the third round 24 hours earlier.

“I think we’ve seen some stuff in the past year that is not making the game look very good at all,” said Fowler. “There’s no other sport where people can call or e‑mail in or contact officials regarding an issue.

“There’s plenty of circumstances in other sports where a call could go a completely different way, and these decisions are left up to officials. There’s not people sitting at home dictating this or, in this case, having a lot of effect on the outcome of a major.

“In my eyes, things should be handled the day of and there shouldn’t be anyone outside of the officials being able to make this call.”

The 28-year-old, who said he felt “bad” for Thompson, added: “There’s no question it (intervention by armchair viewers) should be ended.

“There shouldn’t be any outside contact, whether it’s e‑mail or phone calls. It’s been talked about for years. I’m still surprised that hasn’t been changed.”

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Cathy Panton-Lewis has been honoured by the Professional Golfer’s Association for her part in founding the Ladies European Tour.

The Scot, who claimed 14 victories as a professional, was one of 11 founder members of the Women’s Professional Golfers’ Association (WPGA) in 1979.

It evolved into the LET and, with the 40th anniversary of the WPGA’s founding imminent, Panton-Lewis and eight of her co-founders have been granted honorary membership of the PGA in recognition of their pioneering roles.

“Her contribution to the game over the many years since the foundation of the WPGA has been continuous and outstanding,” said PGA executive president Sandy Jones. “Her contribution to the game over the many years since the foundation of the WPGA has been continuous and outstanding.

“There is no doubt Catherine and her co-founders deserve this recognition for the long service and commitment they have given to the game of golf.

“They showed a lot of belief in supporting what was not seen by many at the time as a viable idea because professional women’s golf was very much in its infancy. Happily, their foresight and determination has paid off.”

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Irishman John Murphy takes a one-shot lead into the third and final round of the R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament in St Andrews.

The Maynooth University man earned his slender advantage following rounds of 68 and 64 on the Eden Course for a 12-under-par total.

His closest challenger heading into the closing circuit on the Old Course is newly-crowned Scottish Students’ champion Laird Shepherd (Stirling University).

An Irish double could be on the cards as Chloe Ryan (University College, Dublin) leads the women’s event on 139 (71-68), a shot ahead of Exeter’s Emily Toy.

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A new venue - Stoke by Nayland in East Anglia - has been added to the list of first-stage venues for this season’s European Tour Qualifying School.

“After witnessing first-hand the outstanding facilities both on and off the golf course at Stoke by Nayland, it was an easy decision to add it to the Qualifying School network,” said director Mike Stewart.