Hooters is no more but Jon Daly keeping the party going - Martin Dempster's Masters diary

Daly keeps the party going

Hooters is no more on Washington Road, the main thoroughfare in and out of Augusta National Golf Club.

The American restaurant chain was where John Daly parked his motorhome each year as the two-time major winner mingled with Masters patrons after their day at the golf.

It’s been flattened, though, since last year’s tournament, meaning Daly will be at a different venue later this week. Instead, he’ll be “engaging with fans” at the Topgolf facility in Augusta on Friday and Saturday.

“I'm looking forward to kicking back, meeting some folks and keeping the party going after the rounds," declares ‘Big John’.

No golf at this time of year at other Augusta

You need to be careful if you are a first-timer heading to Augusta - because there are numerous places named that in the US.

The state capital of Maine is one of them, though it’s unlikely that much golf is played there at this time of the year.

From the view high above flying over, it was under a blanket of snow and the temperature on Tuesday is set to be 38 degrees compared to 75 degrees in its namesake in Georgia.

Other places called Augusta in the US include a city in Kansas and a village in Michigan while there is also a town by that name in Western Australia.

Jack Nicklaus tees up timely boost

Six-time Masters winner Jack Nicklaus is back as the owner of the Nicklaus Companies ahead of his Honorary Starter duties along with Gary Player and Tom Watson on Thursday.

The Golden Bear announced the news in a video message on social media after a four-year litigation battle in three US states.

“Everything I’ve done in my career and life has been about family and building a legacy,” said Nicklaus.” And today the Nicklaus Companies are back in the hands of my family and me.”

Nicklaus was awarded $50 million in a defamation lawsuit against the Nicklaus Companies back in October before then being cleared to buy the assets of the firm for $35.7m.

New Candy Bar on Masters menu

There’s a new addition to the food offering for the 90th Masters.

It’s a Candy Bar, which is a dark-milk chocolate blend with caramel, rice crisps and hazelnut crunch.

One had been placed on every single desk in the giant Press Building awaiting the arrival of journalists from all over the world on Monday.

Some, including this correspondent, had already been given the heads up about it by local man Scott Michaux, who got it spot on by describing it as “nice but a bit chewy!”