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Early eagle on the 2nd for Rory..

A fair few of the early starters two or three under for their rounds on the tougher front nine. Looks like it's set up for good scoring again today 

Superb back nine from Rory yesterday. A stupid three putt bogey and he left one in the teeth at 11 and he still came home in 31 whilst not playing well is the sign of a great golfer. If they intend to have the greens get quick today which I imagine they might Rory will be out early enough to get the best of the conditions. He will need a 64/65 and a lot of luck to have any hope of getting back in contention but it's not beyond him.

Jordan Spieth only has to shoot a pair of 70's to win. He was second last year. 3 top 2 finishes in his last 3 events.

Outside chance is Dustin Johnson.

Rory hasn't a hope in hell in my view unless Spieth implodes unfortunately he's too far back. Rory hasn't gone very low around Augusta too often.

Great to see Tiger back.

Everyone left in the tournament needs help from Speith if they are to win but you never know. Monty said last night you could play well and still shoot 73 if things didn't go your way, if he shot a pair of them over the weekend it'd let a lot of men back into the tournament...

Having said that the way he's played over the 1st two days its hard to see him struggle, mind you Kaymer was 10 ahead during final round earlier this year and failed to win!!!

[Seriously? He's 12 behind. Spieth looks like Tiger Mark 2. He's a better player then Rory was at 21.]

It says a lot for Rory the way he's finished this round. In days gone by he'd have finished four or five over. He'll still think he can win too :-)

Seriously? He's 12 behind. Spieth looks like Tiger Mark 2. He's a better player then Rory was at 21.

Its a bit of an anti climax for the Irish so far.

Not even close, or ever will be. Wheels will fall off over the weekend, and there'll be no 'US Open' reprieve a-la McIlroy 2011 later in the year either I'd wager.

Easy there bud, Speiths the real deal him and Rory could just be the next big rivalry in golf.

I didn't say Rory would win, I just think that with his winners mentality he'd think he can still win, he was a bit downbeat in his post round interview mind..

22 years ago today, where do the years go 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p3zfAHV0yI

I think Network/RTE 2 used to show Prem games delayed by 30 minutes on a Saturday and that was the game that day. After the devastation of the previous season that was the moment we knew it was going to end.

22 years ago. Getting old....

Correct, I was in Dublin with my wife. (girlfriend at the time) Brussels bar Grafton street, delayed match on Rte as you said.. Gloriously sunny day if I remember

Funnily I don't remember it being on tv, rather I was listening to it on 5live or Radio 2 as it probably still was at the time. Seanie said earlier that it was the moment that we knew we were going to end the 26 year wait, after the previous years horror I darent believe until Oldham had beaten Villa weeks later.

It says a lot for Rory the way he's finished this round. In days gone by he'd have finished four or five over. He'll still think he can win too :-)

Spieth running away with it

It's absolutely insane what this lad is doing at present. Big Ernie in third is nine shots behind 

Impressive as it is, it won't make for a great weekends viewing if it stays like this..

[What's Luke Shaws excuse]

In Di Maria's defence , coming to England there was always going to be a bedding in period , learning new language , culture difference and having to deal with break in . What's Luke Shaws excuse . Team has performed way better without him. . Blind seems more suited to left back . Maybe Southampton will swap him for Clyne

He's 19

22 years ago today, where do the years go 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p3zfAHV0yI

Not sure its Augusta folks - I read an article not so long back on Augusta committee trying to get more TV coverage but that the agreement they had with CBS (might be wrong) wouldn't allow much more.  Will have a look for the article and paste here if I can find it.

Didn't take that long to find - http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2015/04/masters-countdown-why-cbs-refu.html

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/04/why-does-the-masters-start-so-late-what-time-is-the-masters

[Do you find the bairn(s)hassling you for the brand new kit?]

Liverpool unveiling new kits today. f**king ridiculous. New Balance are making this one, as they've taken over the Warrior Sports soccer business.

Hopefully with them being 'new' they'll go for something simple. I bought the first Warrior Sports one on the cheap when they replaced it because it's, well, red. Do you find the bairn(s)hassling you for the brand new kit?

Jasysus Aye but he generally gets one per year as they all change now, so he'll pick one of the 3 jerseys and keepers kits. He might get another one late in the season when its reduced to under half price.

In fairness he gets great wear out of them and only wears jerseys/sports tops. But you'd struggle to buy all every season.

Hope he doesn't wear them to his local GAA club 

Jordan Speith giving a serious exhibition at the minute..

If you read that piece on here yesterday you will see that the numbers can be crunched with golf too..

Plenty of boys punting professionally on golf, it's probably a more 'honest' sport than horse racing..

I wouldn't call that article a serious attempt at number crunching. I'm sure there are plenty of people gambling on golf in a feeling-in-me-waters style. The question is whether anyone comes out ahead on a regular basis.

Is it any less number crunching than Hardys analysis of the Irish National the other day. Hes taken a field of 100 and used different metrics to whittle it down to 20 odd guys who we feels can win.

Like with all sports 99% of all people bet in a feeling in me waters style but there are people who can and do make money betting on golf

Is there any money to be made in golf betting? You hear about professional gamblers in horse racing, where you can crunch the numbers or get the inside track (so to speak), but picking a winner in golf seems to be a crap shoot to me. Who would have put money on Padraig Harrington to win again?

If you read that piece on here yesterday you will see that the numbers can be crunched with golf too..

Plenty of boys punting professionally on golf, it's probably a more 'honest' sport than horse racing..

Barca won 4-0 earlier and Madrid have been under serious pressure against Rayo for the first hour. Rayo probably deserve to be in the lead but Real starting to get on top and Ronaldo was harshly booked for a dive that should have been a penalty.

And there he is right on cue.... Real really need the win tonight or it might just be beyond them.