Wednesday July 13

4.30pm: The weather has been great all day again and with similar sunny, windless conditions tomorrow you'd fancy a few 66s or even better being shot. Tiger shot 19-under when winning this in 2000 and, although the course has been lengthened, that remarkable score could even be under threat if the weather holds. So what do the forecasters reckon? Well, the picture isn't as good as we'd hoped. The official synopsis says: "A fast moving cold front will approach us from the west increasing clouds by late morning and giving us a good chance for showers by afternoon. Winds will increase from the WSW on Thursday 15-20mph. Perhaps an early start will be an advantage therefore - good news for Tiger Woods who goes off at 8.20am.

4.00pm: If you haven't realised yet, this isn't one of those diaries that says things like "Over 400 tonnes of strawberries will be consumed this week, enough to fill the Royal Albert Hall 1200 times." But if you're fascinated about how much ketchup Peter Alliss puts on his morning sausage bap, then keep reading. I don't actually know the answer to that one yet but will be keeping a close eye out.

3.50pm: A good friend of mine here (I'll protect his identity) has just told me excitedly that he's had a bet on there being a hole-in-one this week. I didn't want to dampen his enthusiasm but couldn't resist reminding him that St Andrews only has two par threes instead of four, thus explaining the inflated odds he got. He wittered something about driveable fours before returning, shamefaced, to his seat.

3.00pm: As usual on practice days, everyone seems in jovial mood – especially Colin Montgomerie, who exchanged plenty of banter with onlookers surrounding the practice putting green. Monty was using a device which dragged the ball back with him on his backswing before releasing it on his follow-through. "I wish I could use this," quipped the Scot after holing a succession of putts. Phil Mickelson was in good high-fiving mood as he passed another practice group featuring Chris DiMarco and, if there was one player looking a little sombre, it was Tiger. Woods teed off at the 1st with best buddy Mark O'Meara about 20 minutes ago and certainly seemed to have his game face on. He's the choice of most of the journalists this week and he's proving hugely popular with punters too. The general 3/1 has vanished and he's now a best 11/4.

2.30pm: Ever since eventual winner David Toms was the first player I saw in the flesh when attending the 2001 USPGA, I've always been superstitious about the first golfer I set eyes on when arriving at a tournament. The one who I shall now have to have an obligatory fiver on is Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson after I spotted him hanging out behind the clubhouse. He's currently 125/1.

11.50am: I've just arrived in the press tent with fellow golf guru Dave John. Actually we've both decided we're not gurus in any shape or form but if our editor wants to big us up then we'll go with it. We're well positioned (bang in front of a TV) but the bloke next to us has a Tarzan ringtone which keeps going off. The sound of Ron Ely wailing away every five minutes is already annoying the hell out of me and it's only Wednesday. I may have to have a quiet word.