• The Masters, Round One: Plays of the Day

Plays of the Day: Donald avoids disqualification drama

Alvaro Quiros was one of a number of players who struggled © Getty Images

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ESPN is providing live commentary and updates during all four days of The Masters from Augusta National - along with comprehensive news views and opinions.

Masters 2012: First round report
Masters 2012: First round gallery
Masters 2012: 'Brutal' day - Woods
Masters 2012: What they said

World No. Dumb

Luke Donald didn't make the best start to the tournament - reaching four-over through 13 before clawing back a shot in the closing stages - but that was quickly overshadowed by a post-round scorecard controversy that at one point looked like it might result in his disqualification.

Having shot 75, the Englishman's score showed up as 73 on the official Masters scoreboards for a number of hours, before it emerged that there was perhaps a discrepancy with his score on the fifth (he three-putted for a five, but was listed as having made a three). After a rules committee meeting, it was confirmed that a smudge had led a official to misread the signed card, rather than anything more untoward. Crisis averted - just about. Phew.

Stenson's snowman

It all looked to be going so well for Henrik Stenson, a man who has struggled for form ever since he lost the vast majority of his acquired wealth as one of the many victims of Bernie Madoff's ponzi scheme. Five-under as he teed off at the 18th, he looked to be comfortably on course to take the first round lead heading into Friday.

Alas, the golfing gods had different plans. A wayward drive was penalised with a drop and ungainly hack back towards the fairway, before he missed the green with his belated approach and three-putted. The resultant snowman (so called because the '8' on the scorecard looks like a ... well, you can work it out) was only the second ever recorded on the hole in tournament play, matching a 'record' previously established by Camilo Villegas. A bitter pill to swallow.

One chance to make a first impression

Of the 96 players in the field, two have been the subject of the most predictions about their chances of victory - Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. But you would not have guessed that judging by their starts on the opening hole. McIlroy, after shooting 80 on his last appearance in this tournament, began just as he finished last time with a double-bogey while Woods, looking for a fifth green jacket, hit his drive all of 150 yards after it snap-hooked left and clattered a tree. Encouraging stuff.

Wrestling with mud issues

After making it as clear as ... well, the opposite of mud that implementing 'lift, clean and place' rules at the tournament would be an absolute last resort, players had to contend with difficult conditions during the opening round. Mudballs - where a clump of mud sticks to one side of the ball - were a constant problem, with players finding it hard to predict how the ball would react off the clubface. Not easy.

Enter the Walrus

Somewhat controversially - at least, ever since Billy Casper exploited the honour to waddle round in hundreds in his old age - past champions are invited back to play at The Masters for pretty much as long as they want. 1982 champion Craig Stadler used that dispensation to tee it up this week, and opened with a round of 81 ... pretty creditable for a 58-year-old (at least in the minds of anyone who can remember Casper's later offerings). The man himself was far from content, however, describing his round as "pitiful". Slightly harsh, we think...

Putting those demons to rest ... or not

All eyes were on Rory McIlroy when he reached the turn at Augusta National, as he set eyes on the tenth hole (where his challenge fell apart last year) for the first in competitive play since that fateful day. On that occasion it was a snap-hook right that cost the Northern Irishman dear; so what did he do this time? Why, he fanned a drive way left instead. Way to put the past to bed, Rors.

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