Masters Tee Times Released As Golf's Biggest Event Begins
The 2026 Masters Tournament tee times were announced early Monday morning as the first round begins at Augusta National. Golf fans across the U.S. are tracking the pairings as Tiger Woods makes his highly anticipated return to competitive play after last year's injury.
Woods will tee off at 10:42 AM ET alongside rising star Tom Kim and former champion Jordan Spieth. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler starts at 1:48 PM with Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele in one of the day's featured groups.
The tee sheet reveals several compelling storylines. LIV Golf players including Dustin Johnson (8:36 AM) and Phil Mickelson (9:12 AM) face their PGA Tour rivals for the first time this season. Early morning fog delayed practice rounds but cleared before the first groups went out at 8:00 AM.
Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley confirmed all players will complete their rounds despite forecasted afternoon showers. CBS and ESPN will provide live coverage starting at 3:00 PM ET, with featured group streaming available on Masters.com.
Social media erupted as fans debated the pairings, particularly Woods' late-morning start. Ticket prices on secondary markets jumped 25% after the tee times were posted, with Saturday badges now averaging $1,200.
This marks the first Masters since the PGA Tour's controversial agreement with Saudi backers, adding political undertones to the competition. Security has been visibly increased around the course following protests at last month's Players Championship.
Morning wave players face cooler temperatures in the low 50s, while afternoon groups will battle potential wind gusts up to 20 mph. The Masters app saw record downloads overnight as fans set alerts for their favorite players.
Local businesses in Augusta report their busiest Masters week in a decade, with hotels at 98% occupancy. The tournament's economic impact is estimated at $120 million for the Georgia region.
With perfect azalea blooms and fast greens, course conditions are considered ideal for low scoring. The tee time release comes as Google searches for "Masters weather" and "Masters leaderboard" spike nationwide.
Augusta National's traditional no-phone policy remains in effect, though approved devices can access a limited version of the Masters app. Gates opened at 7:30 AM to thousands of patrons wearing the tournament's iconic green hats.
