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20 April 2024

Woods to tee off with Donald and Piercy at Masters

Tiger Woods of the United States hits out of the bunker during a practice round prior to the start of the 2013 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 9, 2013 in Augusta, Georgia. (GETTY)

Published
By Reuters

Hot favourite and four-times champion Tiger Woods has been grouped with Britain's Luke Donald and American Scott Piercy for the first two rounds of this week's Masters.

Woods, who has won three events in just five starts on the 2013 PGA Tour, is scheduled to tee off at 10:45 a.m. (1545 BST) in Thursday's opening round at Augusta National.

Though world number one Woods has not triumphed at the Masters since 2005 and is hunting his first Major crown in five years, he has been installed as a 4-1 favourite by British bookmakers Ladbrokes for the April 11-14 tournament.

Fellow American Phil Mickelson, a three-times Masters winner, will launch his bid for a fifth Major title in the company of South African Louis Oosthuizen and Germany's former world number one Martin Kaymer.

Left-hander Mickelson and his playing partners start at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Northern Irish world number two Rory McIlroy, American Keegan Bradley and Swede Fredrick Jacobson will tee off one group after Mickelson, Oosthuizen and Kaymer.

In other groupings, defending champion Bubba Watson will set off with Britain's Ian Poulter and US amateur champion Steven Fox while 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel of South Africa has been paired with US Open champion Webb Simpson and Swede Peter Hanson.

First off at 8 a.m., following ceremonial tee shots by golfing greats Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, will be 1988 Masters champion Sandy Lyle of Britain and Americans John Peterson and amateur Nathan Smith.