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One of my colleagues has a nifty little sideline filming corporate golf days. Training a lens on the pulls, hooks and shanks that abound on such occasions is a hazardous business, so he wears a hard hat cunningly disguised as a golf cap.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that such headgear might be appropriate at at the moment given the amount of building work going on ahead of this July's .

While the course remains the most spectacular Open venue on the rota, the sonic backdrop is filled with the sounds of construction as drills, hammers and cement mixers echo from the famous hotel overlooking the links.

Clad in scaffolding and sitting atop the hill across the road from the course, the hotel that will provide accommodation for the majority of the players at the Open is undergoing a total refurbishment and the race is on for the work to be completed to schedule.

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As , former touring pro and Radio 5 Live golf expert raised his right hand.

Townsend then turned it to face backwards, bent his elbow and patted himself on the back. The American was entitled to feel smug - he'd predicted the Argentine's victory during Friday's second round.

More to the point, it strikes me thatchairman Billy Payne shoud be doing exactly as Jay did and congratulating himself and his committee on turning the Masters around.

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Sitting listening to the statesmanlike tones of ahead of the Masters it was hard to believe he's only won two majors in his illustrious career.

The Australian occupies an elevated place in the game that seems at odds with the number of the biggies he has managed to win.

Norman's major haul (two Opens) is the same as Lee Janzen's. He has won fewer than Padraig Harrington, Vijay Singh and Ernie Els.

But he was so dominant elsewhere and came so close in so many majors only Tiger Woods has spent more time as a world number one.

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There are many worse ways to spend 20 minutes or so than to listen to - one of the most sensible and engaging voices in the game and a genuine contender for this year's Masters.

Ask a question and you will get an answer from the Australian whose was somewhat overshadowed by the collapses of Colin Montgomerie and Phil Mickelson that helped Ogilvy to his breakthrough in the majors.

Not only that, the answers will be well worth hearing. The same, sadly, can't be said of Tiger Woods, who once again left reporters shaking their heads at how unforthcoming he is in the news conference room.

It's a real shame because Woods is such a compelling story and great sportsman. It would be wonderful if he could provide a bit more when he talks to us but effectively all he does is let his clubs do the talking.

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It's not often that , but his eyebrows nearly went into orbit as he contemplated the longevity of .

As prepares to take his Augusta bow, Player is readying himself for his in the first major of the year.

"Gary has been a tremendous competitor for, I don't know, since would it be?" McIlroy began.

"," came the response from the assembled hacks in the press conference room.

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