The Augusta Masters has announced this Tuesday at twelve noon local time the matches and start times for the first two days. These are the most anticipated tee times of the year, even more so since LIV Golf exists and it is inevitable to analyse it under the magnifying glass that exists in world golf.
Jon Rahm, of course, has a great match, but it cannot be said to be stellar. The defending champion will play the first two days with Matthew Fitzpatrick and Nick Dunlap. The former is a US Open champion and Jon’s partner in the Ryder, but he is not exactly having his best year. Meanwhile, Dunlap has indeed written one of the most beautiful pages in golf this year, with his victory still being an amateur at the American Express Championship. In addition, he is the defending champion of the US Amateur, although he turned pro after winning on the PGA Tour. This is a tradition at the Masters, that the defending champion plays with the current US Amateur champion. On this occasion, they have decided to replace it with something similar, although not the same. Jon will start playing on Thursday at 10.30 in the morning, local time, 16.30 in mainland Spain.
The real stellar match of the Masters is the one formed by Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele. They will start twelve minutes later than Rahm, just behind. Here, Augusta National, has decided not to hold anything back. In a way, the message is to stay aligned with the PGA Tour.
Interestingly, not even Tiger Woods has a match that is irrefutably the star. It’s okay, just missing, but there is a certain mix, if you can call it that. He will play with Max Homa and Jason Day, already in the afternoon shift.
None of the LIV Golf players who have won the Masters have a super group for the first two days. Dustin Johnson has been the best off, with Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood, but Phil Mickelson, for example, will play with Sepp Straka and Tony Finau. We insist, they are not bad travel companions, but they are not the most leading.
As for the other two Spaniards, José María Olazábal will be the first to take the stage on Thursday, at 14.12, Spanish time, along with Taylor Moore and Santiago de la Fuente, Mexican champion of the Latin America Amateur. Meanwhile, Sergio García will play with Chris Kirk and Ryan Fox from 15.12.
So, the three Spaniards will play early on Thursday and late on Friday. They share the playing shift and we will see if that is good or bad. Wind is announced in the weather forecast, beyond rain and instability on Thursday. We will have to see who it affects the most.
