One of the young kids taking part in this year’s Drive, Chip & Putt Nationalk Finals was called Nicklaus Miller and, yes, he had a golfing pedigree. He was the grandson of two-time major champion Johnny Miller and his christian name, of course, is in honour of 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus. In 1975, Nicklaus holed a couple of key putts to beat Miller and claim his fifth Green Jacket before adding a sixth at the age of 46 eleven years later. It was a feeling of déjà vu, therefore, when the young Miller was on the cusp of winning his age category until Hudson Justus knocked in two putts at the death to cruelly pip him for the title. It’s a milestone Masters for Dave Cannon, the doyen of golf photographers and a long-time friend of the great Seve Ballesteros. Along with John Patrick, a local radio show presenter, Cannon is covering the Augusta National event for the 40th time this week. To mark the occasion, they have been added to a board on the first floor of the Press Building marking the recipients of the Masters Major Achievement Award and also now have named spots in the media parking lot. The late, great Renton Laidlaw is among the new total of 36 recipients, as is John Hopkins, a hugely-respected English-based golf journalist who is here this week covering his 43rd Masters. The incredible golf gnome frenzy goes on at Augusta National, with this year’s one marking a Georgia delicacy. The bearded wonder is not only holding a peach ice cream sandwich but also wears a polo shirt that is covered in Georgia peaches and ice cream sandwiches. Apparently, the shirt is available to buy in the Masters Tech apparel section in the giant Merchandise Shop that rakes in millions of dollars in sales over the course of the week. But, since it opened on Saturday morning, it’s the gnomes that have been flying off the shelves again, as has been the case since the frenzy began in 2016. There are now 21 different ways a player can secure an invitation to play in The Masters. Nineteen of those methods were used to book a spot in the field for this week’s 89th edition, with Bob MacIntyre meeting four requirements. First and foremost, he got in as a winner on the PGA Tour since the last Masters while qualifying for last year’s Tour Championship on the US circuit would have got the job done as well. So, too, would the Oban man being in the world’s top 50 at the end of 2024 and then still being in a lofty position in the global rankings on 31 March.