There is this image we all might have of the champions locker room and what goes on inside during rain delays at the Masters Tournament.

Cards, conversation and camaraderie among men who have all achieved the same singular achievement in their careers is the common impression

Well, things aren't always so genteel among green-jacketed gentlemen.

The first two days of the Masters has given us spike-gate, water-gate and I-ran-to-the-gate without comment. It has also given us a glimpse inside the door of golf's most exclusive club.

During the long delay before play was suspended Friday, a heavyweight confrontation ensued that makes North Carolina vs. Illinois seem like a flyweight matchup.

In one corner, the defending champion and the hottest player in the world despite his No. 4 ranking - Phil "The Southpaw" Mickelson.

In another corner, the 2000 champion and No. 1 player in the world - Vijay "The Fijian" Singh.

The quarrel - spike marks allegedly left by the left-hander on the 12th green after he birdied directly in front of Singh upon the resumption of play Friday morning.

Since Vijay stalked off the grounds without comment (as did Mickelson), we are left with a written statement by the 2004 champion to set the scene.

"On the 13th hole, two officials approached me at two different times," said Mickelson in the statement passed around the media center. "They were sent by Vijay to check my spikes because he felt they were unduly damaging the greens."

After a brief apology, it goes on.

"However, I was extremely distracted and would have appreciated if it would have been handled differently or after the round.

"After sitting in the locker room for awhile, I heard Vijay talking to other players about it and I confronted him. He expressed his concerns. I expressed my disappointment with the way it was handled. I believe everything is fine now."

Fine? Fine! This is war. This is the kind of rivalry we've been clamoring for.

Last month, Singh took a shot at Mickelson's smiling public persona on HBO Real Sports by asking, "Is that the real Phil?"

Just two weeks ago, Tom Pernice Jr. (Singh's best friend on tour, for what it's worth) asked the PGA Tour to test Tiger Woods' driver to see whether it was too hot.

Now, at the most civil arena in all of sports, Singh incites a full-fledged dust-up in Mickelson's first week inside his new Augusta National digs.

Two hours before Mickelson's statement was handed out, six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus - who, unlike any of the current top four players in the world, stopped to talk before leaving the grounds - had this to say about the scene in the inner sanctum of the clubhouse::

"We were sitting up there in the Masters room and at 3:20 they said they were going to make an announcement at 4:30," Nicklaus said of the way the Masters champs received weather updates. "They all rushed to the practice tee, and I said, 'Huh?' (Ray) Floyd and (Tom) Watson and (Gary) Player were all sitting there and said we'll watch television for an hour and see what happens.

"It's just about as exciting as that."

Apparently, it's a lot more exciting than anyone ever knew. Before Friday, the biggest controversy ever reported from the champions locker room was Seve Ballesteros frequently losing his Footjoys.

Now it's spike-gate. It's gotta be the shoes.

In two unfulfilling days of golf, all the 69th Masters has produced so far is controversy.

Whatever is in the minds and hearts of the best players in the world at this week's Masters Tournament remains as much of a mystery as the answer to why Augusta National officials decided on Thursday night to delay the first-round restart to 9:45 a.m. Friday

The only spokesman for the Big Five after play was suspended Friday afternoon was Retief Goosen.

"We should be playing in South Africa," Goosen said of his native land. "We are having a drought there."

The Augusta National Golf Club, which always runs such a tight tournament despite inclement weather, is even being dragged down into the mud with the wrestlers at the top of the field.

Even the green-jacketed members don't seem to be able to get the biggest attractions in the sport to stop long enough to speak. Where's the respect?

And the last sporting event on the planet not to kow-tow to the demands of the almighty television stands accused of yielding at least two good hours Friday morning at the cost of nearly an entire day's play.

"Our primary concern is the players and the condition of the course for them to play the game we are here to see," said Will Nicholson, chairman of the rules and competition committee.

Our primary desire now is seeing a Sunday showdown of Mickelson and Singh together in the final group.

In the event of another lengthy rain delay, however, a live feed from the champions locker room might suffice.

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.