Tiger paired with Kuchar and Choi

Four-time Masters champ Woods discovers identity of his partners for return to golf

Tiger Woods will play alongside Matt Kuchar and KJ Choi for the first two rounds of his return to golf at this week’s Masters.

The trio will go out in the penultimate group at Augusta National this Thursday, teeing off at 1842 BST and returning on Friday to start their second round at 1535.

The Masters is Woods’ first appearance in a professional tournament since he played – and won – the Australian Masters in November.

He has been on a self-imposed hiatus from the game since his private life was engulfed by scandal and it was revealed that he had had several marital affairs.

On Monday this week, he faced the media for the first time and, in a wide-ranging interview, apologised to his fellow players for the disruption that his scandal had brought upon them.

Two of those players, Choi and Kuchar, may well be due another apology from the world No.1 should their respective tilts at Masters glory be undermined by the extra-attention that playing alongside the returning Woods is sure to attract.

South Korean Choi is a seven-time winner on the PGA Tour and has racked up over $21million in career prize-money. The 39-year-olds has played in the Masters on seven previous occasions, his best finish being third in 2004.

Kuchar is one of the form players on the PGA Tour this season, racking up no fewer than four top tens. He has played in the Masters on three previous occasions, including in 1998 when he finished as the low amateur. However, he has not featured in the first major of the season since he missed the cut in 2002.

Woods, meantime, is a four-time winner at Augusta, but hasn’t won there since 2005.

TEE TIMES IN FULL…

(US unless stated, all times BST, x = amateur)

1240 Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus (honorary starters)

1250 and 1557 Nathan Green (Aus), Heath Slocum, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa)

1301 and 1608 Craig Stadler, John Merrick, Jerry Kelly

1312 and 1619 Ian Woosnam (Gbr), Brian Gay, Marc Leishman (Aus)

1323 and 1630 Bernhard Langer (Ger), Scott Verplank, (x) Brad Benjamin

1334 and 1641 John Senden (Aus), David Toms, Graeme McDowell (Gbr)

1345 and 1652 Mark O’Meara, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), (x) Nathan Smith

1356 and 1714 Martin Kaymer (Ger), Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Luke Donald (Gbr)

1407 and 1725 Tom Watson, Tim Clark (Rsa), Steve Marino

1418 and 1736 Bill Haas, Todd Hamilton, Anders Hansen (Den)

1429 and 1747 Dustin Johnson, Oliver Wilson (Gbr), Alvaro Quiros (Spa)

1440 and 1758 Mike Weir (Can), Lee Westwood (Gbr), (x) Matteo Manassero (Ita)

1502 and 1809 Chad Campbell, Francesco Molinari (Ita), Paul Casey (Gbr)

1513 and 1820 Ernie Els (Rsa), Anthony Kim, Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn)

1524 and 1831 Angel Cabrera (Arg), Jim Furyk, (x) Byeong-hun An (Kor)

1535 and 1842 Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby (Aus), Yong-eun Yang (Kor)

1546 and 1853 Retief Goosen (Rsa), Hunter Mahan, Robert Karlsson (Swe)

1557 and 1250 Ben Crane, Simon Dyson (Gbr), Michael Campbell (Nzl)

1608 and 1301 Larry Mize, Ryan Palmer, Chris Wood (Gbr)

1619 and 1312 Sandy Lyle (Gbr), Justin Leonard, Kevin Na

1630 and 1323 Ben Crenshaw, Steve Flesch, (x) Ben Martin

1641 and 1334 Ryan Moore, Ross Fisher (Gbr), Nick Watney

1652 and 1345 Trevor Immelman (Rsa), Soren Hansen (Den), John Rollins

1714 and 1356 Vijay Singh (Fij), Jason Dufner, Sean O’Hair

1725 and 1407 Thongchai Jaidee (Thai), Ben Curtis, Soren Kjeldsen (Den)

1736 and 1418 Camilo Villegas (Col), Kenny Perry, Rory McIlroy (Gbr)

1747 and 1429 Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson (Swe), (x) Chang-won Han (Kor)

1758 and 1440 Fred Couples, Sergio Garcia (Spa), Shingo Katayama (Jpn)

1809 and 1502 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Lucas Glover

1820 and 1513 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Stewart Cink, Padraig Harrington (Ire)

1831 and 1524 Yuta Ikeda (Jpn), Ian Poulter (Gbr), Steve Stricker

1842 and 1535 Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar, KJ Choi (Kor)

1853 and 1546 Adam Scott (Aus), David Duval, Ricky Barnes 

Bryce Ritchie is the Editor of bunkered and, in addition to leading on content and strategy, oversees all aspects of the brand. The first full-time journalist employed by bunkered, he joined the company in 2001 and has been editor since 2009. A member of Balfron Golfing Society, he currently plays off nine and once got a lesson from Justin Thomas’ dad.

Editor of bunkered