AUGUSTA, Georgia — Tiger Woods, set to attract huge crowds on his much hyped return to the Masters, has been grouped with fellow American Jimmy Walker and Welshman Jamie Donaldson for Thursday's first round at Augusta National. Four-time champion Woods, who missed the Masters last year while recovering from back surgery, will be competing for the first time in two months after a self-imposed absence from the PGA Tour due to poor form. Woods, Donaldson and Walker, a double winner on the 2014-15 PGA Tour, will tee off in the penultimate group of the day at 1:48 p.m. EDT (1748 GMT). Northern Ireland's world No. 1 Rory McIlroy will launch his bid for a third consecutive major victory, and a career grand slam, in the company of Americans Ryan Moore and three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson. McIlroy, who is seeking his first green jacket at the picturesque course, and his playing partners are scheduled to tee off at 10:41 a.m. Thursday. In other groupings, 2013 champion Adam Scott of Australia will set off with long-hitting American Dustin Johnson and Australian amateur Antonio Murdaca while 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel of South Africa has been paired with Dutchman Joost Luiten and South Korean Bae Sang-moon. Defending champion Bubba Watson, aiming to become the sixth triple winner at Augusta National, will launch his title defense in the company of US amateur champion Gunn Yang of South Korea and England's Justin Rose. Spaniard Sergio Garcia, American Rickie Fowler and Australian Jason Day, who has recorded top-three finishes at the Masters twice in the last four years, will tee off in the final group of the day Thursday. First off at 7:45 a.m., following ceremonial tee shots by golfing greats Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, will be Americans Charley Hoffman and Brian Harman. Woods had thrilled fans with a strong practice round Monday, solid chips and approach shots signaling a return to form by the American. “I felt good and it was nice to get out here,” Woods said. “But the course was a little bit faster than when we played last week.” Woods' casual manner and successful shotmaking harkened back to the form that made Woods a four-time Masters winner, his most recent green jacket victory coming 10 years ago. McIlroy practiced Monday alongside two amateur debutantes, reigning British Amateur champion Bradley Neil of Scotland and American Byron Meth, the US Public Links champion. But as excited as people are about McIlroy's run at history, curiosity over Woods stole the show Monday. — Agencies
