By Frank Pingue
AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) – Clear skies and cool conditions greeted the early starters as the Masters got underway on Thursday with defending champion Scottie Scheffler yet to tee off and Rory McIlroy, needing a win to complete the career Grand Slam, among the late starters.
Honorary starters Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson led off one of the most anticipated days in golf in front of a large crowd of patrons gathered around the first hole as the sun rose above pristine Augusta National Golf Club.
Among those setting off early, with temperatures around 49 degrees Fahrenheit (9.4 degrees Celsius), are former champions Mike Weir, Zach Johnson, Danny Willett and twice winner Bernhard Langer who is making his 41st and final Masters start.
Scheffler, looking to become the fourth player to retain a Masters title and first since Tiger Woods in 2001-02, is due to tee off at 10:15 a.m. ET (1415 GMT) in the company of Justin Thomas and Spanish amateur Jose Luis Ballester.
World number one Scheffler, who has won two of the last three Masters, said this week he is not taking anything for granted despite having a game tailor-made for Augusta National.
“I start the tournament even par just like everybody else,” Scheffler said. “Last year doesn’t have a lot to do with this year, outside of I can go back on some of the experience that I’ve had playing well on this golf course and reflect on that.”
Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, who with a win would become the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam of golf’s four majors, will tee off in the fourth-last group at 1:12 p.m. ET alongside 2024 runner-up Ludvig Aberg and Akshay Bhatia.
It is world number two McIlroy’s 11th attempt at joining Nicklaus, Player, Tiger Woods, Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan as the only men to achieve a career Grand Slam.
World number three Xander Schauffele, seeking a third win in four majors following triumphs at last year’s PGA Championship and British Open, will be one group behind McIlroy and playing with Adam Scott and Viktor Hovland.
Former champion Jon Rahm, one of 12 players from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit in the 95-player field, is scheduled to start his round at 1:35 p.m. ET in the day’s penultimate group with Wyndham Clark and Tommy Fleetwood.
While Augusta National, the only men’s major championship played each year on the same course, is a familiar sight its look was altered last September when Hurricane Helene resulted in the loss of numerous trees.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue, editing by Ed Osmond)
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