US Masters:US Masters: Rory McIlroy will go head to head with two other debutants in the opening two rounds of the US Masters at Augusta. The 19-year-old, who has been tipped as the pick of the young guns ahead of his first major, will tee-off last on Thursday with fellow teenager Ryo Ishikawa of Japan and 23-year-old American Anthony Kim.
McIlroy, who played a practice round with veteran American Mark O'Meara today, will be last out on at 7.03pm (Irish time). World number one Tiger Woods will play in the penultimate group with compatriot Stewart Cink and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh.
Pádraig Harrington, looking for three major wins in a row, also has a Japanese playing partner in Ryuji Imada and the pair will be joined by Canada’s 2003 champion Mike Weir at 3.54pm.
Graeme McDowell, Ireland’s only other representative at Augusta, partners Australian Aaron Baddeley and American Bubba Watson at 4.40pm.
Having spent an inordinate time in the media spotlight since winning his third major, Harrington is perfectly happy for the rejuvenated Woods to reclaim centre stage after his return from injury.
Harrington, yet to manage a top-10 finish in seven events in the States this year, is hoping to emulate Woods and Ben Hogan by winning a third different major in a row but is happy to play second fiddle for now.
Speaking to media today, the Dubliner said: “Tiger, when you get to the bigger stage, is the top dog and he deserves the attention with what he’s done.
“It’s a fantastic story, but I’ve got three majors. It’s a dream come true for me and I’m fully concentrating on what I’m doing in my career.
“You know, it makes no difference to me. The outside stuff I can’t control, so I’m not too fussed about it.
“At the end of the day I can go home to Ireland and I can get Tiger Woods-esque attention there.”
It was pointed out to him that at times during his Monday practice round fewer than 20 people were watching.
“I was playing at five o’clock in the evening and it was cold,” was his retort.
The 37-year-old’s fans will be relieved to know that his results in 2009 so far have not affected his belief. With a round to go in last week’s Houston Open Harrington was only two off the lead, but his final competitive tune-up for Augusta was a 77 which dropped him to 26th.
And during the course of the week he hit an amazing “nine-plus” balls into water.
“I do things slightly strange,” he said. “When I actually start hitting at water hazards like I did last week I’m kind of working on things.
“If I was playing badly I would make sure to avoid the water hazard. If I’m playing better I’m trying to hit it down the fairway and taking on the shot.
“Maybe I was a little bit aggressive at times and hopefully it’s not a sign of things to come this week.”
The driver he used there, however, looks like it has got the sack now.
“At the moment the driver I used here two years ago is going into the bag,” he said. “I actually don’t think I’ve ever had as good a driving tournament as I did then, so hopefully I can replicate that.”
Should Harrington triumph again on Sunday only the US Open will be needed to complete the clean sweep. Only Woods has done that.
Harrington’s preparations will include the Wednesday par-three with his son Patrick on the bag. He has won it twice in the past and will attempt to again, simply choosing to ignore the Augusta jinx. No par-three champion has been helped into a green jacket four days later.
Tee times (Irish) for the US Masters for Thursday and Friday. (Irish in bold; American unless stated)
1250Arnold Palmer (honorary starter, Thursday only)
1300 and 1607Ian Woosnam (Gbr), Chez Reavie, Bring Baird
1311 and 1618Sandy Lyle (Gbr), Billy Mayfair, Tim Clark (Rsa)
1322 and 1629Kevin Sutherland, Ross Fisher (Gbr), Prayad Marksaeng (Thai)
1333 and 1640Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Carl Pettersson (Swe), Dudley Hart
1344 and 1651Raymond Floyd, Justin Leonard, (x) Reinier Saxton (Ned)
1355 and 1702Fuzzy Zoeller, Michael Campbell (Nzl), Ken Duke
1406 and 1724Ben Curtis, Nick Watney, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa)
1417 and 1735Craig Stadler, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Dustin Johnson
1428 and 1746Gary Player (Rsa), Luke Donald (Gbr), Stephen Ames (Can)
1439 and 1757Retief Goosen (Rsa), Soren Hansen (Den), Shingo Katayama (Jpn)
1450 and 1808Bernhard Langer (Ger), Greg Norman (Aus), Lee Westwood (GBR)
1512 and 1819Justin Rose (Gbr), Henrik Stenson (Swe), Angel Cabrera (Arg)
1523 and 1830Vijay Singh (Fij), Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Ernie Els (Rsa)
1534 and 1841Mike Weir (Can), Padraig Harrington, Ryuji Imada (Jpn)
1545 and 1852Phil Mickelson, Camilo Villegas (Col), Jim Furyk
1556 and 1903Stuart Appleby (Aus), Oliver Wilson, Sergio Garcia (Spa)
1607 and 1300Larry Mize, John Merrick, (x) Drew Kittleson
1618 and 1311Todd Hamilton, Steve Flesch, Mathew Goggin (Aus)
1629 and 1322Tom Watson, Ian Poulter (Gbr), (x) Steve Wilson
1640 and 1333Aaron Baddeley (Aus), Bubba Watson, Graeme McDowell
1651 and 1344Mark O'Meara, Pat Perez, DJ Trahan
1702 and 1355Fred Couples, Rocco Mediate, (x) Jack Newman
1724 and 1406Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Sean O'Hair, Richard Sterne (Rsa)
1735 and 1417Andres Romero (Arg), Boo Weekley, Chad Campbell
1746 and 1428Ben Crenshaw, Paul Casey (Gbr), Steve Stricker
1757 and 1439Yang Yong-eun (Kor), Robert Allenby (Aus), Hunter Mahan
1808 and 1450Zach Johnson, Lin Wen-tang (Tai), Robert Karlsson (Swe)
1819 and 1512Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa), Martin Kaymer (Ger), Brandt Snedeker
1830 and 1523KJ Choi (Kor), Alvaro Quiros (Spa), Kenny Perry
1841 and 1534Trevor Immelman (Rsa), Adam Scott (Aus), (x) Danny Lee (Nzl)
1852 and 1545Tiger Woods, Stewart Cink, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind)
1903 and 1556Anthony Kim, Rory McIlroy, Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn)
