At about half past three yesterday afternoon, a wind whistled through the Augusta National media centre, clocks stopped, laptops seized up and everybody got themselves into a desperate fankle.
Tiger Woods had been spotted on the driving range.
When Woods is in town, the intrigue and interest rates go into overdrive. And even when he's not in town, people keep talking about why he's not in town and then start speculating about what town he'll turn up in next.
Martin Kaymer, the reigning US Open champion, has his own thoughts on the hoopla and relentless scrutiny that surrounds Woods's every cough, wheeze and snort in these fevered times.
"Mentally, it must be quite exhausting and we know how important the mental side is in golf," said the former world No 1 from Germany as he mulled over Woods's latest comeback after two months on the sidelines. "Some things I don't find very fair. You know, you should just let him be. Let him play golf, what he likes to do. I sometimes look at it and find it quite sad how people treat the whole subject. But that's how it is, that's how a lot of people make their money.
"Some athletes, they suffer because of that and hopefully he's strong enough and he can find a way to compete as good as he can because we all know that when he's around, somehow it does make us play better. I mean I never experienced someone who played better in my era. I never played with Seve or Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer. So what I've experienced, he's the man."
Who will be the man at the Masters this week is anyone's guess but Kaymer is going about his preparation with an experienced man about town who knows just about every nook and crannie of Augusta National. It's now 30 years since Bernhard Langer won the first of his two Green Jackets. He may be 58 but he doesn't pitch up here purely for ceremonial duties. His share of eighth last year showed that, in this game for all the ages, experience is a handy weapon in the armoury, particularly around this stretch of golfing terrain.
"The way he does things are very much the way I want to do things," said Kaymer of his meticulous compatriot. "We are very similar in that category. I believe experience is the most valuable thing you can give to someone. If I ask him anything, there's never anything that gets held back. It's very, very helpful."
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