A tradition like no other: rain at Augusta

<p>The Masters is all about tradition. The returning champions. The Crow's Nest. The Hogan Bridge.</p><p>Well, there's one tradition those guys in the green jackets would gladly abandon.</p><p>Bad weather.</p><p>In what has become a mud-stained rite of spring, the pristine grounds of Augusta National were a gooey mess, the opening major of the year totally out of whack after two days of thunderstorms.</p><p>The first shot of the tournament was struck 5 1/2 hours late. Another line of heavy rain moved through Friday, ruining any hope of getting things back on schedule until at least Saturday, maybe even Sunday.</p><p>Can Phil Mickelson win his second straight green jacket? Can Tiger Woods get back in contention? Can Chris DiMarco finally lead at Augusta when it matters?</p><p>Interesting stories, but hardly front and center.</p><p>All eyes were on the weather radar.</p><p>Players returned early Saturday to an extremely soggy course and threatening gray skies, but at least it wasn't raining. The forecast for Sunday was promising _ sunny, with temperatures in the upper 70s.</p><p>The Masters hasn't finished on a Monday since 1983. Rest assured no matter how many times this tournament starts and stops, it will be played to the finish.</p><p>"We're going to play 72 holes," said Will Nicholson, chairman of the competition committee. "It looks very good (for the weekend) looking at the weather guides. But this year, it's crazy."</p><p>Indeed. Bad weather has interrupted play on the PGA Tour for the ninth time in 15 tournaments, and the fourth week in a row.</p><p>"We're all used to it after this year," Justin Leonard said. "It's nothing new."</p><p>It's nothing new for the Masters, either. Four straight years, the tournament has been interrupted by storms.</p><p>These scenes are becoming downright routine: cat litter spread around the grounds to soak up the water; Rae's Creek looking more like Willy Wonka's chocolate river; the soaked, mud-splattered patrons trudging toward the gates.</p><p>DiMarco got off to a strong start Saturday on the front side. He birdied the two par-5s and seized the lead all to himself at 7 under.</p><p>David Howell was 5 under, while top-ranked Vijay Singh, Thomas Bjorn and Mark Hensby were another stroke back. Luke Donald slipped to 3 under with a couple of early bogeys.</p><p>DiMarco shot 67 in the first round _ the fourth time in five years, he's led a round at the Masters. Howell got in contention with birdies on five of the first seven holes to start the second.</p><p>Mickelson was close to the front _ and feuding with Singh as well _ while Tiger Woods and Ernie Els hoped to bounce back from slow starts.</p><p>Singh complained to rules officials that the metal spikes in Mickelson's shoes were too long and creating marks on the green Friday.</p><p>Playing in the group behind Mickelson, Singh made the complaint at No. 12 after missing a 25-foot birdie attempt on about the same line that Lefty used to make his putt.</p><p>Mickelson wasn't happy about the way the situation was handled, and he said so to Singh afterward in the clubhouse.</p><p>"I heard Vijay talking to other players about it, and I confronted him," Mickelson said through his press agent, T.R. Reinman. "He expressed his concerns. I expressed my disappointment in the way it was handled. I believe everything is fine now."</p><p>Singh shot 68 in the opening round, squandering a chance to take the lead at the par-5 15th. He had a 35-footer for eagle, but the putt curled left of the cup and he missed the 4-footer for birdie _ bitten twice by Augusta's wet but still treacherous greens.</p><p>Mickelson's first shot Friday dropped 5 feet from the flag at the par-3 12th, leading to a cherished birdie in the heart of Amen Corner. A 70 left him three strokes behind DiMarco after the first round.</p><p>If anyone welcomed the weather break, it might have been three-time winner Woods.</p><p>He knocked a putt in the creek the first day, then had another adventure Friday at No. 8. Woods wound up in the pine trees along the right side, then caught a limb trying to get out. The ball ricocheted the wrong way, but at least settled in the fairway. He wound up with a bogey.</p><p>Woods took a 74, the third straight year he's failed to break par in the opening round. He was playing better in the second _ 1 under through six holes.</p><p>Two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw knows it's tough to stay focused with so much weather disruption. On Friday, for instance, DiMarco finished up the last four holes of the first round, took a short break, played one hole to start the second _ and was done for the day.</p><p>"It's very difficult to do in a major," Crenshaw said. "These guys are trying their hardest to find and capture a feeling. You have a delay, you have to start all over again."</p>

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