Masters tee times: McIlroy among late starters

Rory McIlroy faces a lengthy wait before getting his ninth bid to complete the career grand slam by winning the Masters can get under way.

McIlroy, who finished runner-up to Scottie Scheffler last year, tees off in the penultimate group in Thursday's first round at 6.48pm Irish time (1.48pm local time) alongside WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play winner Sam Burns and Tom Kim.

Amateur Matthew McClean is the first Irish player in action on Thursday. The US Mid Amateur Champion at 1.12pm Irish time in the company of Vijay Singh and Scott Stallings.

Next up from an Irish perspective is Shane Lowry, who is is part of the ninth grouping, alongside Canadian Mackenzie Hughes and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters. They tee off at 2.36pm.

Twelve minutes later and Seamus Power will get his second appearance at Augusta National underway, with the 36-year-old in the company of two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and amateur Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira of Argentina.

Defending champion Scheffler is in the second last group with fellow American Max Homa and US Amateur champion Sam Bennett (6.36pm), while the final trio of 2015 winner Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood and Tony Finau tee off at 7pm.

Five-time champion Tiger Woods gets his 25th Masters appearance under way at 3.18pm alongside Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele.

Open champion Cameron Smith, one of 18 LIV players in the field, will head out alongside 2021 winner Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im for the first two days, while 1988 champion Sandy Lyle has LIV players Jason Kokrak and Talor Gooch for company in what is set to be his final appearance before retiring.

Honorary starters Tom Watson, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus will hit tee shots on the opening hole at 12.40pm Irish time on