Masters 2026 Tee Times Announced As Tournament Nears Climax
Masters 2026 Tee Times Announced As Tournament Nears Climax...
The 2026 Masters Tournament enters its pivotal weekend as Augusta National Golf Club released Saturday's tee times, sparking widespread interest among golf fans. With several top contenders tightly grouped on the leaderboard, the pairings could significantly impact Sunday's final-round drama.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will tee off at 2:45 PM ET alongside rising star Ludvig Ã…berg, while defending champion Rory McIlroy starts at 2:33 PM with 2025 PGA Championship winner Viktor Hovland. The marquee groupings come after Friday's cut eliminated several fan favorites, including Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.
Tee times are trending today as American viewers plan their weekend viewing schedules around the tournament's prime coverage window on CBS. The Masters remains the most-watched golf event in the U.S., with last year's final round drawing 12.6 million viewers.
Augusta National's traditional "moving day" Saturday often determines the championship, with past winners gaining an average of 3.2 positions on the leaderboard during this round. Tournament officials moved several tee times earlier by 15 minutes due to predicted afternoon thunderstorms in the Augusta area.
Local fans began lining up at 5 AM ET outside the gates, hoping to secure prime viewing spots at Amen Corner. The tournament has drawn record merchandise sales this year, with the Masters app reporting a 22% increase in tee time notifications compared to 2025.
Tiger Woods, making his 30th Masters appearance at age 50, will begin his third round at 1:57 PM ET alongside Australian Min Woo Lee. Woods sits eight shots behind leader Collin Morikawa, who tees off last at 3:09 PM with Xander Schauffele.
The tee sheet reflects Augusta National's signature mix of star power and emerging talent, with 16 of the world's top 20 players surviving the cut. Sunday's final pairings will be determined by Saturday's results, with the leaders traditionally going last around 2:45 PM ET.
Golf analysts highlight the 2:21 PM grouping featuring Patrick Cantlay, Will Zalatoris and Sam Burns as potentially pivotal. All three players sit within four strokes of the lead and have strong recent form at Augusta.
With sunny skies forecast for Sunday's finale, tournament organizers expect one of the largest weekend galleries in Masters history. The club has implemented new mobile ticketing systems this year to manage the anticipated crowds.
