AUGUSTA – Tiger Woods tees off alongside Spain’s Jon Rahm and China’s Li Haotong in the first two rounds of the Masters, with Rory McIlroy one group behind in pairings revealed on Tuesday.
Woods, a 14-time major winner seeking his fifth green jacket, contended at last year’s British Open and PGA Championship, but still seeks his first major triumph since the 2008 US Open.
He hasn’t won a Masters since 2005.
Joining him at 11.04am on Thursday morning in the 14th trio off the first tee at Augusta National will be Rahm, who had five top-10 finishes in his first six starts this year, and Li, whose third-place showing at the 2017 British Open was the best by a Chinese player in a major.
Following one group behind Woods among the Georgia pines at 11.15am will be McIlroy, a four-time major winner hoping to complete a career Grand Slam by capturing the Masters green jacket.
He will be joined by Australian Cameron Smith and American Rickie Fowler over the first two rounds.
The final two groups in the opening round also offer star power, with Britain’s Justin Rose joined by five-time major winner Phil Mickelson and fellow American Justin Thomas at 1.49pm.
Two-time reigning US Open champion and 2017 PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka goes off in the final group at 2pm, alongside Britain’s Paul Casey and three-time major winner Jordan Spieth.
Defending champion Patrick Reed tees off at 10.31am on Thursday, alongside fellow American Webb Simpson and Norwegian amateur Viktor Hovland.
Champions return. Welcome to Tuesday at #themasters. pic.twitter.com/8J0QzCRgfI
— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 9, 2019
First Round Tee-Off Times (SA times in brackets, US unless stated)
8.15am (2.15pm SA time): Gary Player (RSA)
, Jack Nicklaus (Honorary starters)
8.30am (2.30pm): Andrew Landry, Adam Long, Corey Conners (CAN)
8.41am (2.41pm): Ian Woosnam (WAL), Keith Mitchell, Kevin Tway
8.52am (2.52pm): Mike Weir (CAN), Shane Lowry (IRL), a-Kevin O'Connell,
9.03am (3.03pm): Angel Cabrera (ARG), Aaron Wise, Justin Harding (RSA)
9.14am (3.14pm): Danny Willett (ENG), Brandt Snedeker, a-Takumi Kanaya (JPN)
9.25am (3.25pm): Fred Couples, Kim Si-woo (KOR), JB Holmes
9.36am (3.36pm): Branden Grace (RSA)
, Emiliano Grillo (ARG), Lucas Bjerregaard (DEN)
9.47am (3.47pm): Charl Schwartzel (RSA)
, Charles Howell, Eddie Pepperell (ENG)
9.58am (3.58pm): Sergio Garcia (ESP), Tony Finau, Henrik Stenson (SWE)
10.09am (4.09pm): Adam Scott (AUS), Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Kyle Stanley
10.31am (4.31pm): Patrick Reed, Webb Simpson, a-Viktor Hovland (NOR)
10.42am (4.42pm): Charley Hoffman, Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)
, Marc Leishman (AUS)
10.53am (4.53pm): Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Xander Schauffele, Gary Woodland
11.04am (5.04pm): Tiger Woods, Li Haotong (CHN), Jon Rahm (ESP)
11.15am (5.15pm): Rory McIlroy (NIR), Rickie Fowler, Cameron Smith (AUS)
11.26am (5.26pm): Sandy Lyle (SCO), Michael Kim, Patton Kizzire
11.37am (5.37pm): Trevor Immelman (RSA)
, Martin Kaymer (GER), a-Devon Bling
11.48am (5.48pm): Larry Mize, Jimmy Walker, Stewart Cink
11.59am (5.59pm): Jose Maria Olazabal (ESP), Kevin Na, Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN)
12.10pm: (6.10pm): Bernhard Langer (GER), Matt Wallace (ENG), a-Alvaro Ortiz (MEX)
12.21pm (6.21pm): Alex Noren (SWE), Keegan Bradley, Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG)
12.43pm (6.43pm): Vijay Singh (FIJ), Billy Horschel, a-Jovan Rebula (RSA)
12.54pm (6.54pm): Kevin Kisner, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA), Shugo Imahira (JPN)
1.05pm (7.05pm): Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter (ENG), Matt Kuchar
1.16pm (7.16pm): Francesco Molinari (ITA), Rafael Cabrera Bello (ESP), Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)
1.27pm (7.27pm): Bubba Watson, Patrick Cantlay, Satoshi Kodaira (JPN)
1.38pm (7.38pm): Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day (AUS)
1.49pm (7.49pm): Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose (ENG), Justin Thomas
2pm (8pm): Jordan Spieth, Paul Casey, Brooks Koepka