Masters round 1: Here’s what to expect Thursday at Augusta National
John Keefer has never played a competitive round at Augusta National.
But the PGA Tour rookie will have the honor of hitting the first tee shot to start the 90th Masters on Thursday at 7:40 a.m. The 25-year-old Baylor grad earned his Tour card by leading the Korn Ferry Tour points standings and earned his Masters invitation by being ranked 48th in the world at the end of 2025.
“I’ve never really been nervous of a tee shot in a practice round,” Keefer said after Monday’s practice round. “And I think I was a little nervous on the first tee shot for me.”
Keefer is paired with Haotong Li of China in the first pairing on the day. It will be Li’s third Masters appearance, but first since 2019.
The twosome will put the first competitive shots in the air, moments after Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson fulfill their obligations as honorary starters. The three legends, with 11 Masters between them, will do their duties at 7:25 a.m.
There are 91 players in the field this year, four fewer than last year.
Masters television coverage
Coverage is from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday on ESPN. Two additional hours of coverage are available Thursday and Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Amazon Prime Video.
Coverage is also available on Masters.com and the official Masters App, which will feature a groups channel and provide 18-hole spotlight coverage of random groups.
On the weekend, broadcast coverage is from noon to 2 p.m. on Paramount Plus, with CBS and Paramount covering the action from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Featured groups
Defending champion Rory McIlroy begins defense of his title at 10:31 a.m. He will be paired with World No. 3 Cameron Young and 2025 U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell of Thomasville.
Howell has said that McIlroy has been his favorite golfer for many years and will benefit from the Masters tradition of pairing the defending champion with the reigning U.S. Amateur champ.
Two-time champion and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler tees off at 1:44 p.m. He is grouped with left-hander Robert MacIntyre and Gary Woodland, the 2019 U.S. Open champion who won the Houston Open two weeks ago.
Another interesting morning group at 10:07 a.m. includes two-time U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, 2018 U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick and two-time major champion Xander Schauffele.
Another strong afternoon group at 1:08 p.m. includes 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm and up-and-comers Ludvig Aberg of Sweden and Masters rookie Chris Gotterup.
About the Bulldogs
There are five former University of Georgia players in the field: Russell Henley, Brian Harman, Harris English, Sepp Straka and two-time champion Bubba Watson. U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell is a future Bulldog.
“I grew up wanting to win this golf tournament,” Harman said. “It’s the biggest golf tournament in the United States, so it’s a big deal. I’m super proud to be here.”
UGA coach Chris Haack will not be on hand to root for his guys. He will be with the UGA men’s golf team in Savannah for The Ford Collegiate.
Senior alert
A year ago two-time champion Bernhard Langer played his final rounds at the Masters. Langer said he was no longer competitive on the lengthy layout, even though he finished his career with rounds of 74-73 and missed the cut by one shot.
No one has said it will be their final tour around Augusta National, including 66-year-old Fred Couples, who is making his 40th Masters start. Couples has missed the cut in six of the last seven Masters, but said he’ll continue to compete.
“I will never embarrass myself or Augusta,” Couples said. “So I plan on doing well this year. What does that mean? We’ll find out, but I know if I get it around it’ll be fine.”
The next senior to step aside could be Jose Maria Olazabal, a two-time champion who is playing in his 36th Masters. He has missed the cut in eight of the last 10 Masters.
The Masters 2026
The 90th edition of the Masters Tournament tees off at Augusta National Golf Club this week. Here’s everything you need to follow the action.
START HERE: Your complete Masters guide Tee times, leaderboard, how to watch and what to know
THE FIELD: An appreciation for Scottie Scheffler’s quiet stardom | These 5 players should compete for first green jacket | No Tiger? No Phil? No biggie, the kids say | Mason Howell’s path to Augusta | 9 top-ranked newcomers making their debut | Scottie Scheffler heavily favored over elite contenders | Oldest vs. youngest golfers at the Masters
FIRST ROUND: All the Masters tee times Thursday | Mason Howell will share Masters start with Rory McIlroy
WHAT TO WATCH: Augusta National can bring top players to their knees | Rival league presence will be felt at Augusta National
AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL: Plan your practice rounds like a pro | 10 Masters terms to know before you go | Don’t sleep on these 5 hidden spots at Augusta National
THE TRADITIONS (FOOD): Inside Rory McIlroy’s Champions Dinner menu | Make The Masters’ iconic 3-ingredient cocktail at home | Everything to know about pimento cheese this Masters week
PHOTOS: Contenders warm up | Practice rounds tee off
MASTERS GNOME: Masters gnome craze hits ‘Hunger Games’ levels amid final-edition rumors
Weather
Temperatures are expected to start on the high 40s when the tournament begins on Thursday. The forecast calls for partly cloudy and breezy conditions with high of 73 F. The wind could be a factor, with gusts up to 20 mph expected.
No rain is expected for the remainder of the week, with mostly sunny and hot temperatures anticipated for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
About the Author
Stan Awtrey has been covering sports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1977. He currently writes about high school sports, Georgia State University athletics and golf.
