The Masters has begun at Augusta National, Georgia with defending champion Rory McIlroy hoping to emulate his heroics from last year when he won his first green jacket.
Elsewhere, Shane Lowry and Tom McKibbin are the other Irish in the field, while Scottie Scheffler comes into the tournament as favourite, despite not hitting top form so far this season.
Follow our live updates below.
Notable tee-times – Irish time (local time)
2.43pm (5.56pm) Dustin Johnson, Shane Lowry (Ire), Jason Day (Aus)3.07pm (6.20pm) Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Xander Schauffele3.31pm (6.44pm) Rory McIlroy (N Ire), Cameron Young, Mason Howell*4.15pm (12.50pm) Andrew Novak, Tom McKibbin (N Ire), Brian Campbell6.44pm (3.19pm) Scottie Scheffler, Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Gary Woodland
Shane Lowry is making his way to the first tee.
LEADERBOARD
-2 Olazabal (5)
-1 Greyserman (4), Herrington, Am (4), Kitayama (2)
I’ve done worse.
At least Jack has a genuine excuse.
“I hope to be able to do it as long as I can not kill anybody.”
Jack Nicklaus still plans on being an honorary starter at the Masters. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Obl8ejx6Yw
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) April 9, 2026
🗣️ ONE OF US! 🌺 — 86-year old Jack Nicklaus had a quick hook of the first tee this morning with his breakfast ball.
The Masters is officially underway 🫡 pic.twitter.com/ksYMGI2pEk
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 9, 2026
Spare a thought for Mexican Carlos Ortiz. He has started 5, 7, 5, 4, 6, which equates to bogey, double bogey, bogey, bogey, double bogey.
He is making his second Masters start and first since 2021. Earlier this year, he finished sixth in Hong Kong and eighth in South Africa. Last June, he finished T-4 in the U.S. Open at Oakmont after closing with rounds of 67-73. He also won an Asian Tour event in Macao, China and finished T-8 in the Australian Open at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
Ryan Fox is two over after two holes. He lost his drive (OB) on two with what looked like a snap hook.
Jose Maria Olazabal leads the Masters on two under through three holes with birdies on two and three.
Olazábal is making his 37th Masters start in 2026. He is one of four Spaniards to win the Masters with fellow two-time champion Seve Ballesteros, Sergio García and Jon Rahm. In 14 starts at Augusta National between 1989 and 2003, he finished inside the top 15 a total of 12 times. The World Golf Hall of Fame member has represented Europe in seven Ryder Cups and his worldwide wins include the DP World Tour’s flagship event in England and the national opens of Ireland, France and Hong Kong. Before turning professional, he won both the 1983 R&A Boys’ Amateur and 1984 Amateur Championship and represented his country in the Eisenhower Trophy.
45 mins or so until this man tees it up at Augusta.
A little humour. Part 2
My favourite player, the incomporable Seve Ballesteros.
This is what makes Seve a great for me.
Yes he had an incredible swing, capable of pulling off any shot and a short game envied by his all his peers but….👇🏼
After throwing away the tournament he walks up the 18th showing his appreciation to all the fans, what a class act! pic.twitter.com/05XKHfzRur
— Ian Ellis Golf Professional (@necky_fade) April 8, 2026
Katoaka makes the first birdie of the 90th Masters, at the par five, second.
“My plan is to be here and hopefully give myself a chance going into that back nine on Sunday” 🗣️
Shane Lowry looks ahead to The Masters and analyses his chance of going home with the Green jacket ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/TifYxQSXv8
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 8, 2026
Find your favourite here.
Masters Tee times
12.40pm (3.51pm) John Keefer, Haotong Li (Chi)
12.50pm (4.03pm) Naoyuki Kataoka (Jpn), Max Homa, Carlos Ortiz (Mex)
1.02pm (4.15pm) Jose Maria Olazabal (Esp), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Den), Aldrich Potgieter (SA)
1.14pm (4.27pm) Angel Cabrera (Arg), Sami Valimaki (Fin)*, Jackson Herrington
1.26pm (4.39pm) Charl Schwartzel (SA), Max Greyserman, Ryan Fox (NZ)
1.38pm (4.51pm) Vijay Singh (Fiji), Matt McCarty, Rasmus Hojgaard (Den)
1.50pm (5.04pm) Kurt Kitayama, Kristoffer Reitan (Nor), Casey Jarvis (SA)
2.02pm (5.15pm) Bubba Watson, Nicolas Echavarria (Col), Brandon Holtz*
2.19pm (5.32pm) Cameron Smith (Aus), Sam Burns, Jake Knapp
2.31pm (5.44pm) Keegan Bradley, Ryan Gerard, Nick Taylor (Can)
2.43pm (5.56pm) Dustin Johnson, Shane Lowry (Ire), Jason Day (Aus)
2.55pm (6.08pm) Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Akshay Bhatia
3.07pm (6.20pm) Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Xander Schauffele
3.19pm (6.32pm) Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley
3.31pm (6.44pm) Rory McIlroy (N Ire), Cameron Young, Mason Howell*
3.43pm (6.56pm) Viktor Hovland (Nor), Patrick Cantlay, Alex Noren (Swe)
4.03pm (12.40pm) Samuel Stevens, Sungjae Im (Kor)
4.15pm (12.50pm) Andrew Novak, Tom McKibbin (N Ire), Brian Campbell
4.27pm (1.02pm) Mike Weir (Can), Wyndham Clark, Mateo Pulcini (Arg)*
4.39pm (1.14pm) Zach Johnson, Michael Kim, Nicolai Hojgaard (Den)
4.51pm (1.26pm) Danny Willett (Eng), Davis Riley, Ethan Fang*
5.03pm (1.38pm) Adam Scott (Aus), Daniel Berger, Brian Harman
5.15pm (1.50pm) Fred Couples, Min Woo Lee (Aus), Fifa Laopakdee (Tha)*
5.27pm (2.02pm) Sergio Garcia (Esp), Aaron Rai (Eng), Jacob Bridgeman
5.44pm (2.19pm) Harry Hall (Eng), Corey Conners (Can), Michael Brennan
5.56pm (2.31pm) JJ Spaun, Maverick McNealy, Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
6.08pm (2.43pm) Jon Rahm (Esp), Chris Gotterup, Ludvig Aberg (Swe)
6.20pm (2.55pm) Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose (Eng), Brooks Koepka
6.32pm (3.07pm) Sepp Straka (Aut), Ben Griffin, Justin Thomas
6.44pm (3.19pm) Scottie Scheffler, Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Gary Woodland
6.56pm (3.31pm) Harris English, Marco Penge (Eng), Woo Kim (Kor)
*denotes amateur
Eight players on the course, no birdies yet.
More dinner tales.
💬 @JonRahmOfficial talks through his Champions Dinner experiences
REPORTER: “You’ve attended now a couple of these Masters Champions Dinners. I’m wondering how the experience is maybe different or surprising in ways that – different than you expected, I guess?”
RAHM: “I’ve… pic.twitter.com/3mDJNXsHhk
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) April 7, 2026
A lighter look at the Masters. Part 1.
Max Homa has parred the first. He is carrying small percentage of my money as an each way wager. I hope it doesn’t prove too troublesome. Haotong Li is also level par after one as is Naoyuki Kataoka. Carlos Ortiz and John Keefer both bogeyed the first hole.
We are going to rush through a little more nostalgia before I bring you live to the course. There’s not a great deal happening scoring wise.
Lee Trevino: “It was the greatest Masters I’ve ever seen, and I’ve watched them all.”
Legends reflect on Rory McIlroy’s 2025 Masters title. pic.twitter.com/18kXehSORS
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 7, 2026
Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy have developed a rivalry over the last few years with Bryson claiming the 2024 US Open in dramatic fashion and Rory then beating Bryson in the final group at last year’s Masters.
Bryson spoke about the rivalry ahead of this year’s Masters:… pic.twitter.com/1u9g4gv6Rw
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) April 7, 2026
You got to love a rivalry!
A lot of new faces for 2026 Masters
The record for most first-year players in the Masters field (outside of the inaugural tournament in 1934) is 26 in 2020, the famous November tournament. While this year won’t break that record, there are still 22 first-time starters to watch this week.
Michael BrennanJacob BridgemanEthan Fang (a)Ryan GerardChris GotterupBen GriffinHarry HallJackson Herrington (a)Brandon Holtz (a)Mason Howell (a)Casey JarvisNaoyuki KataokaJohn KeeferFifa Laopakdee (a)Tom McKibbinRasmus Neergaard-PetersenAndrew NovakMarco PengeMateo Pulcini (a)Kristoffer ReitanSamuel StevensSami Valimaki
LIV Golf players in 2026 Masters field
There are nine members of LIV Golf in the 2026 Masters Tournament. Absent from that list are Brooks Koepka and 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed, who both announced they had left the league ahead of the 2026 season and are working toward a full return to the PGA TOUR. They are both playing at Augusta.
Bryson DeChambeauSergio GarciaTyrrell HattonDustin JohnsonTom McKibbinJon RahmCharl SchwartzelCameron Smith
Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson hit ceremonial tee shots down the first fairway at Augusta National to officially open 90th Masters as the honorary starters for the fourth successive year.
Just 11 golfers have fulfilled the role of honorary starters. Nicklaus — with a record six green jackets to his name — has served since 2010, the longest of today’s three champions. Player, with three titles, joined Nicklaus two years later and Watson entered the fold in 2022.
The practice was originated in an unofficial sense in 1941, when amateur Francis Ouimet played the first round before withdrawing at the urging of tournament co-founder Bobby Jones. This sparked the idea for a tradition that would be formalised 22 years later.
Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod became the first official honorary starters when they took the first shots of the 1963 Masters.
Those 11 golfers who’ve been honorary starters at the Masters, along with the years they filled the role:
Jock Hutchison: 1963-1973Fred McLeod: 1963-1976Byron Nelson: 1981-2001 (non-consecutive)Gene Sarazen: 1981-1999Ken Venturi: 1983Sam Snead: 1984-2002Arnold Palmer: 2007-2016Jack Nicklaus: 2010-presentGary Player: 2012-presentLee Elder: 202Tom Watson: 2022-present
Who doesn’t appreciate a little nostalgia for the day that’s in it.
But thankfully for McIlroy the issue has been successfully treated, with the lack of game time perhaps the greater concern. Still, McIlroy has looked in fine fettle in his carefully mapped out practice rounds and is poised to bring a strong defence of the green jacket.
Warning for any diabetics the following content may exceed safe saccharine levels.
Rory McIlroy joined me at the Par 3 Contest to detail the emotion of hosting the Masters champion’s dinner, the family magic of the Par 3, and what he has to do to defend the Masters title. pic.twitter.com/umJ6wkx5Yv
— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) April 8, 2026
Hello and welcome to the Masters. John O’Sullivan here and along with David Gorman later we’ll be taking you through the first round of the first Major of the season. Rory McIlroy is the defending champion, the Northern Ireland golfer prevailing in a nerve shredding playoff victory over Justin Rose last year to become only the sixth player to claim a Grand Slam across the four Majors: Masters, US PGA Championship, US Open, British Open.
There is no Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson for the first time since 1994. Woods has had a much-publicised fallout from a car crash and driving under influence arrest from two weeks ago, which led to his withdrawal, while Mickelson is attending to a family health matter.
The 35-year-old McIlroy will be bidding to become the first back-to-back Masters champion since Woods achieved the feat in 2001 and 2002. It’s happened on two other occasions in the tournament’s history, with Jack Nicklaus (1965-66) and Nick Faldo (1989-90).
The Irish contingent at Augusta is bolstered by Shane Lowry and Tom McKibbin. There is an old golfing adage about beware the injured golfer. McIlroy has had to deal with a back muscle injury which forced his withdrawal from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, disrupting his preparations.
Masters 2026 preview
The guard has truly changed. Rory McIlroy’s return down Magnolia Lane as champion and Scottie Scheffler’s long-standing position atop the world rankings has the two men firmly, and rightly, installed as the headline acts headed into this 90th edition of the Masters, writes Philip Reid.
For the first time in forever – well, since 1994 – neither one of Phil Mickelson nor Tiger Woods are in the field and, although their fiercely competitive days are behind them, their absence seems almost like a side note to the main drama that will play out over four days on the pristine turf in ideal weather conditions.
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 08: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the 17th tee during a practice round prior to the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 08, 2026 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
McIlroy’s bid to defend the title he won in a playoff against Justin Rose last year has the Northern Irishman bidding to become just the fourth player to go back-to-back, last achieved by Woods in 2002, but with absolutely none of the baggage that accompanied him for a decade in his pursuit of the career Grand Slam.