Thunderstorms are forecast to disrupt the start of the 88th Masters at Augusta National on Thursday as world primary Scottie Scheffler and second-ranked Rory McIlroy tee off in a dream first-round pairing.
LIVE | Masters 2024 – Round 1 leaderboard
Rain and scattered thunderstorms are set to maneuver into the area at round 06:00 native time and are anticipated to final till 13:00, doubtlessly inflicting havoc to the primary spherical schedule.
Honorary starters Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson are due get proceedings underneath means at 07:40 (13:40 SA time), with the primary group teeing off 20 minutes later.
However Masters organisers said late on Wednesday that gate openings for Thursday’s first spherical could be delayed because of climate, a transparent signal that play may also be held up.
Scheffler, in search of his second title in three seasons, was in a bunch with four-time main winner McIlroy, who would full a profession grand slam with a Masters triumph, and Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, chasing his first main victory.
By taking the inexperienced jacket, McIlroy would be a part of a choose group together with Woods, Nicklaus, Player, Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan. McIlroy has not received a serious in 10 years however has discovered he wants persistence at Augusta National.
“This golf course gets you to chase things a little more than other golf courses,” he stated.
“It at all times tempts you to do one thing you suppose you are able to do and I’m fairly assured in my golf recreation. I believe I can do most issues.
“Sometimes you just have to take the conservative route and be a little more disciplined and patient.”
Scheffler, who received twice and completed second final month in PGA occasions, may be a part of Woods as the one gamers to win the Masters twice whereas atop the rankings.
“The winds are going to be pretty high and it swirls like crazy around this place,” he stated.
“You have to stay so patient and trust in all aspects of your game.”
Fifth-ranked Schauffele hopes to lose the tag because the highest-rated participant with out a main title.
“It’s definitely what motivates me as a golfer and as a competitor just to keep pushing,” Schauffele stated of a serious victory.
The characteristic trio is scheduled to tee off Thursday at 10:42, 12 minutes after Spain’s defending champion Jon Rahm, England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and 20-year-old American Nick Dunlap.
Rahm may develop into solely the fourth participant to seize back-to-back Masters triumphs after Woods, Nicklaus and Nick Faldo.
“I do feel fresh and ready for it,” Rahm stated.
Reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark, Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Australian Cameron Smith, the 2022 Open Championship winner, are collectively behind Scheffler and McIlroy.
Is Tiger a minimize above?
Woods, returning to main golf after proper ankle surgical procedure final April however nonetheless struggling to stroll 72 holes, will attempt to make the Masters minimize for a report twenty fourth consecutive time to interrupt to mark he shares with Player and Fred Couples.
But the five-time Masters winner talks about one other report – the six profession Masters wins by Nicklaus.
“If everything comes together, I think I can get one more,” Woods stated.
Woods tees off at 13:24 alongside fellow American Max Homa and Australian Jason Day.
A bunch behind them are 2023 Open Championship winner Brian Harman, 2023 PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka and South Korean Tom Kim.
Five-time main winner Koepka and Rahm are amongst 13 gamers from Saudi-backed LIV Golf within the Masters discipline, with six-time main winner Phil Mickelson and Koepka sharing second final 12 months behind Rahm, who jumped from the PGA Tour to LIV in December.
Eyes shall be on LIV participant outcomes as merger talks proceed between the PGA Tour and LIV’s backers, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.
There are 20 first-time Masters starters hoping to develop into the primary rookie winner since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
This 12 months’s newcomers embrace ninth-ranked Ludvig Aberg of Sweden and fourth-ranked Clark.
“Stats like that are meant to be broken,” Clark stated.
“That would be an amazing accomplishment. And I like my chances.”
MASTERS 2024 – ROUND 1 PAIRINGS
All instances SA
- 14:00 — Erik van Rooyen, Jake Knapp
- 14:12 — Jose Maria Olazabal, Taylor Moore, Santiago de la Fuente
- 14:24 — Danny Willett, Austin Eckroat, Stephan Jaeger
- 14:36 — Charl Schwartzel, Luke List, Christo Lamprecht
- 14:48 — Gary Woodland, Thorbjorn Olesen, Bryson DeChambeau
- 15:00 — Zach Johnson, Corey Conners, Jasper Stubbs
- 15:12 — Sergio Garcia, Chris Kirk, Ryan Fox
- 15:24 — Lucas Glover, Byeong Hun An, Harris English
- 15:36 — Phil Mickelson, Sepp Straka, Tony Finau
- 15:48 — Nick Taylor, Joaquin Niemann, Russell Henley
- 16:06 — Patrick Cantlay, Min Woo Lee, Rickie Fowler
- 16:18 — Hideki Matsuyama, Will Zalatoris, Justin Thomas
- 16:30 — Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, Nick Dunlap
- 16:42 — Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele
- 16:54 — Wyndham Clark, Viktor Hovland, Cameron Smith
- 17:06 — Lee Hodges, Adrian Meronk, Grayson Murray
- 17:18 — Camilo Villegas, Denny McCarthy, Cameron Davis
- 17:30 — Mike Weir, Ryo Hisatsune, Neal Shipley
- 17:42 — Vijay Singh, Si Woo Kim, Emiliano Grillo
- 17:54 — Fred Couples, Adam Hadwin, Stewart Hagestad
- 18:12 — Justin Rose, Eric Cole, Peter Malnati
- 18:24 — Akshay Bhatia, J.T. Poston, Shane Lowry
- 18:36 — Bubba Watson, Nicolai Hojgaard, Adam Schenk
- 18:48 — Patrick Reed, Sungjae Im, Kurt Kitayama
- 19:00 — Keegan Bradley, Matthieu Pavon, Tyrrell Hatton
- 19:12 — Adam Scott, Sam Burns, Cameron Young
- 19:24 — Tiger Woods, Jason Day, Max Homa
- 19:36 — Brian Harman, Brooks Koepka, Tom Kim
- 19:48 — Jordan Spieth, Ludvig Aberg, Sahith Theegala
- 20:00 — Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa, Tommy Fleetwood
