Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young Pair Up for Masters Title Defense at Augusta
Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young will share a threeball at Augusta National for the first two rounds.
They tee off with amateur Mason Howell. McIlroy begins his title defence as world number two.
Pairings and tee time
McIlroy tees off at 10:31am local time on Thursday. That converts to 3:31pm in the UK and Ireland.
Cameron Young joins him in the group. Young chases a rare double after a Players victory.
Mason Howell completes the trio. Howell is the youngest competitor and the reigning US Amateur champion.
Key groups and schedule
Ninety-one players are scheduled for the opening major. The draw places several marquee names across the course.
| Local Time (Thu) | Group |
|---|---|
| 14:43 | Dustin Johnson, Shane Lowry (Irl), Jason Day (Aus) |
| 14:55 | Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Akshay Bhatia |
| 15:07 | Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Xander Schauffele |
| 15:19 | Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley |
| 15:31 | Rory McIlroy (NIrl), Cameron Young, Mason Howell (x) |
| 18:08 | Jon Rahm (Esp), Chris Gotterup, Ludvig Åberg (Swe) |
| 18:20 | Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose (Eng), Brooks Koepka |
| 18:44 | Scottie Scheffler, Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Gary Woodland |
Contenders and storylines
McIlroy enters after a playoff victory last year. He completed the career Grand Slam at Augusta.
He aims to join three others who won consecutive Masters titles. The challenge is rare and historic.
World number one Scottie Scheffler is on the opposite side of the draw. He joins Robert MacIntyre and Gary Woodland.
Justin Rose is last year’s runner-up. Rose has finished second at Augusta three times.
Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka share a late-early group with Rose. Bryson DeChambeau plays with Schauffele and Fitzpatrick.
Patrick Reed and Tommy Fleetwood are paired with Akshay Bhatia in the morning wave. Shane Lowry is grouped with Johnson and Day.
Reed said the field contains many legitimate threats. He estimated around ten to a dozen players could win.
Ceremony and broadcast
The Honorary Starters will return Thursday morning. Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson will lead the ceremony.
The ceremony starts at 7:25am local time. That is 12:25pm in the UK and Ireland.
John Keefer and Haotong Li will make the ceremonial opening tee shots. The competitive play begins at 7:40am local time.
Television coverage begins on Sky Sports at 2pm on Thursday. Featured Group action runs until the global broadcast window starts at 6pm.
Weekend coverage starts earlier. Live air time begins at 4:30pm, with full coverage from 5pm onward.
Augusta National will also offer hole-specific streams. Amen Corner will receive dedicated coverage each day.
What to watch
- McIlroy’s bid to defend his Green Jacket.
- Young’s attempt to follow a Players win with Masters success.
- Howell’s debut as the youngest player and U.S. Amateur champion.
- High-profile late groups featuring Scheffler, Spieth, Rose and Koepka.
Filmogaz.com will provide updates and analysis throughout the week. Expect live reaction and round summaries as play unfolds.
