Rory McIlroy teeing off in the first round of the 2026 Masters with Cameron Young and Mason Howell at Augusta National.
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Rory McIlroy begins Masters title defence with Cameron Young and Mason Howell

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Rory McIlroy tees off in the first round of The Masters 2026 at 10.31am local time alongside Cameron Young and US Amateur champion Mason Howell. The world No 2 defends his title after last year's play-off win over Justin Rose, which completed his career Grand Slam. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler starts later with Robert MacIntyre and Gary Woodland.

The 90th Masters tournament gets under way Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, with a field of 91 players. McIlroy, the first player since Tiger Woods to hold all four majors simultaneously after his 2025 victory, aims to become just the fourth to win back-to-back Green Jackets. Cameron Young recently won The Players Championship and seeks to follow Scheffler and McIlroy in winning both events in the same season.

What people are saying

X discussions center on Rory McIlroy's Masters 2026 title defense tee-off with Cameron Young and US Amateur champion Mason Howell. Excitement surrounds Howell's debut, highlighted by a heartwarming story of McIlroy gifting him a signed ball a decade ago. Users note Young's strong form as a contender, while some view the pairing as a tough challenge for the young amateur. Betting interest focuses on low Round 1 scores from McIlroy and Young.

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