Ah, Augusta

It is a gorgeous morning in Augusta. Earlier, a fog delay pushed tee times back an hour, but that has passed and now it's bright, clear springtime moring at the Masters.

I've already had my annual lunch on the back balcony of the clubhouse, overlooking the first tee. A cup of seafood chowder, a junior club sandwich and peach cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream came to about $12.

As in years past, the food was so-so but the ambiance and the view are unbeatable and unforgettable. Down below, there is a steady stream of players walking from the course to the locker room. There's also a Who's Who of big-time sports agents, writers, TV talent and execs, sports shrinks, golf industry titans and all manner of hangers-on who are able to get a pass for inside the clubhouse.

Mickelson hoax

If you are hearing rumors that Phil Mickelson dropped $200,000 gambling with Augusta National members last week, then tried to weasel out of paying off the bet, don't believe it. It's an April Fool's hoax that is making it's way around the blogosphere.

A blogger cooked up the story and attributed it to Golfweek's Insider column, where the magazine posts a lot of its juicy stuff.

According to the blogger's account, the furious Augusta National members even dragged Mickelson before club chairman Billy Payne, who supposedly informed him to pay up or get out -- forever.

As the story was making its way around the internet like a virus video today, the Golfweek folks, who are sitting about five rows behind me in the media center at the Masters, were doing all they could to kill it -- and especially kill any connection to them.