Masters 2026: Featured Groups For Friday Draw Major Interest
Masters 2026: Featured Groups For Friday Draw Major Interest...
The 2026 Masters Tournament enters its second round Friday, with featured pairings drawing intense interest from golf fans. Tournament organizers announced Thursday evening that defending champion Scottie Scheffler will tee off alongside rising star Ludvig Ã…berg and veteran Justin Thomas at 10:48 AM ET.
This year's featured groups highlight both star power and compelling storylines. Tiger Woods, making his latest comeback attempt, will play with Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm in a marquee 1:36 PM ET grouping. The trio has combined for six Masters victories.
Friday's pairings are trending nationally as fans plan viewing schedules around the tournament's limited broadcast windows. ESPN will air early coverage from 3-7:30 PM ET, with featured group streaming available via Masters.com and the ESPN+ platform.
Augusta National's traditional "moving day" weather forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and mild temperatures, setting up ideal scoring conditions. Tournament leaders after Thursday's opening round will play in late morning groups to maximize television exposure.
Social media reaction has been particularly focused on the Woods-McIlroy-Rahm grouping. The trio last played together during the 2022 PGA Championship, creating memorable moments that still circulate among golf fans. Their Friday pairing marks Woods' first competitive round with McIlroy since 2020.
Other notable Friday groups include last year's runner-up Cameron Smith playing with two-time champion Bubba Watson (9:12 AM ET) and current world No. 3 Xander Schauffele paired with Patrick Cantlay (10:24 AM ET). The tournament committee strategically spread star players across morning and afternoon tee times to maintain spectator flow across Augusta National's famed layout.
With clear leaderboard separation expected after Friday's round, these featured groups take on added importance. Only the top 50 players (plus ties) will make the weekend cut at golf's most prestigious major championship.
