Masters tee times: Five takeaways from Rounds 1 and 2 pairings

LIV golfers and PGA Tour players intertwined 

With only 12 LIV golfers in the Masters field this year, it would be easy to pair them together and separate them from the PGA Tour competitors due to the current state of professional golf. But the Masters doesn't care about politics — the tournament wants the top talents in the world playing alongside each other. That's why all 12 LIV players were given separate tee times with various levels of PGA Tour pros.

Bryson DeChambeau/Hideki Matsuyama/Shane Lowry is the most intriguing pairing 

Speaking of pairing LIV golfers with PGA Tour pros, this is the most interesting tee time in the first two rounds. DeChambeau is playing superb golf this year and is coming off his best Masters finish in 2024. Matsuyama won The Sentry in January and has a green jacket in his closet, but he enters the week coming off back-to-back missed cuts. Lowry has been one of the best tee-to-green players on the Tour this year, and he looks ready to contend for another major championship.

Does the late-early wave have an advantage?

The Thursday forecast calls for calm, sunny conditions for most of the day, but wind gusts are expected to balloon up to 25 mph on Friday afternoon between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. That might make it more challenging for the early-late wave to score. Scheffler, Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Joaquin Niemann, Min Woo Lee, Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth all tee off after 1 p.m. on Friday.

Welcome to the spotlight, Akshay Bhatia

Bhatia isn't typically mentioned alongside the elite players on the PGA Tour. However, after a win at the Valero Texas Open in 2025 and a T3 finish at the Players Championship in 2025, the Masters has taken notice. The 23-year-old is paired with Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg for the tournament's first two rounds. It won't be easy for Bhatia to execute his game plan playing with two giants in the game, so we'll see how he handles the pressure. 

Good luck to amateur Josele Ballester

At this time last week, Ballester was likely finishing up his homework at Arizona State University. Fast forward a few days, and he's preparing to play in his first Masters Tournament alongside Justin Thomas and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. The 2024 U.S. Amateur champion has a bright future ahead, but it won't be easy to calm the nerves in this marquee group.