McDowell first off for Ireland

Graeme McDowell will get Ireland’s challenge at the 2014 Masters up and running tomorrow at Augusta National when he tees off in the opening round of the year’s first major championship at 2.35pm Irish time.

The Portrush man, ranked 14th in the world and in upbeat mood to add to his major tally following his US Open victory at Pebble Beach in 2010, has been paired with American duo Rickie Fowler and the in-form Jimmy Walker, who will make his Masters debut.

Tournament favourite Rory McIlroy, bidding for a first Green Jacket at the sixth attempt, has been grouped with two American stars on the rise in Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, that trio teeing off at 3.52pm Irish time, while fellow Irishman Darren Clarke begins his 12th Masters and 500th European Tour event alongside Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher and American Nick Watney at 4.47pm Irish time.

Last year’s champion Adam Scott gets his title defence under way in the group preceding rival McIlroy at 3.41pm alongside US PGA Champion Jason Dufner and US Amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick, the 19-year-old from Yorkshire who was leading amateur at Muirfield last year at the Open Championship.

Irish golf fans will have plenty incentive to keep watching once home interests complete their rounds with three very interesting pairings at the end of the day, starting with Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA champion, French debutant and WGC-Accenture Mathcplay runner-up Victor Dubuisson and Sweden’s Ryder Cup star Peter Hanson at 6:37pm.

Major winners Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Justin Rose, last year’s US Open champion, formt he penultimate group at 6.48pm with Lee Westwood, Harris English and Russell Henley bringing up the rear from 6.59pm.

US Masters: Tee times

TOMORROW

(Starting at hole 1)

12.45pm: S Cink, T Clark (Rsa)

12.56pm: I Woosnam (Wal), K Stadler, J Huh

1.07pm: B Crenshaw, J Blixt (Swe), YE Yang (Kor)

1.18pm: M O’Meara, S Bowditch (Aus), J Niebrugge

1.29pm: J Senden (Aus), D Lynn (Eng), B Weekley

1.40pm: C Stadler, S Stallings, M Kaymer (Ger)

1.51pm: T Watson, B Horschel, B De Jonge

2.02pm: B Weir (Can), M Every, R Castro

2.13pm: A Cabrera (Arg), I Poulter (Eng), G Woodland

2.24pm: F Couples, W Simpson, C-woo Lee (Kor)

2.35pm: G McDowell (Nirl), R Fowler, J Walker

2.57pm: Z Johnson, K J Choi (Kor), S Stricker

3.08pm: MA Jimenez (Spa), B Haas, M Manassero (Ita)

3.19pm: H Matsuyama (Jpn), B Snedeker, J Donaldson (Wal)

3.30pm: C Schwartzel (Rsa), J Furyk, T Olesen (Den)

3.41pm: A Scott (Aus), J Dufner, (x) M Fitzpatrick (Eng)

3.52pm: J Spieth, P Reed, R McIlroy (Nirl)

4.03pm: K Streelman, D.A. Points

4.14pm: L Mize, M Mccoy, B Grace (Rsa)

4.25pm: S Lyle (Sco), K Duke, M Jones (Aus)

4.36pm: JM Olazabal (Spa), L Glover, (x) G Porteous (Eng)

4.47pm: N Watney, D Clarke (Nirl), S Gallacher (Sco)

5.09pm: V Singh (Fij), T Bjorn (Den), R Moore

5.20pm: M Kuchar, L Oosthuizen (Rsa), T Jaidee (Tha)

5.31pm: T Immelman (Rsa), G Delaet (Can), O Goss (Aus)

5.42pm: G Fernandez-Castano (Spa), S-moon Bae (Kor), D Ernst

5.53pm: B Langer (Ger), F Molinari (Ita), C Kirk

6.04pm: J Day (Aus), D Johnson, H Stenson (Swe)

6.15pm: B Watson, L Donald (Eng), S Garcia (Spa)

6.26pm: J Luiten (Ned), M Leishman (Aus), H Mahan

6.37pm: K Bradley, C Dubuisson (Fra), P Hanson (Swe)

6.48pm: P Mickelson, E Els (Rsa), J Rose (Eng)

6.59pm: H English, L Westwood (Eng), R Henley

12.45pm: K Streelman, D.A. Points

FRIDAY

12.56pm: L Mize, M Mccoy, B Grace (Rsa)

1.07pm: S Lyle (Sco), K Duke, M Jones (Aus)

1.18pm: JM Olazabal (Spa), L Glover, (x) G Porteous (Eng)

1.29pm: N Watney, D Clarke (Nirl), S Gallacher (Sco)

1.40pm: V Singh (Fij), T Bjorn (Den), R Moore

1.51pm: M Kuchar, L Oosthuizen (Rsa), T Jaidee (Tha)

2.02pm: T Immelman (Rsa), G Delaet (Can), O Goss (Aus)

2.13pm: G Fernandez-Castano (Spa), S-moon Bae (Kor), D Ernst

2.24pm: B Langer (Ger), F Molinari (Ita), C Kirk

2.35pm: J Day (Aus), D Johnson, H Stenson (Swe)

2.57pm: B Watson, L Donald (Eng), S Garcia (Spa)

3.08pm: J Luiten (Ned), M Leishman (Aus), H Mahan

3.19pm: K Bradley, V Dubuisson (Fra), P Hanson (Swe)

3.30pm: P Mickelson, E Els (Rsa), J Rose (Eng)

3.41pm: H English, L Westwood (Eng), R Henley

3.52pm: S Cink, T Clark (Rsa)

4.03pm: I Woosnam (Wal), J Huh, K Stadler

4.14pm: B Crenshaw, Y.E. Yang (Kor), J Blixt (Swe)

4.25pm: M O’Meara, S Bowditch (Aus), J Niebrugge

4.36pm: J Senden (Aus), B Weekley, D Lynn (Eng)

4.47pm: C Stadler, S Stallings, M Kaymer (Ger)

5.09pm: T Watson, B Horschel, B De Jonge

5.20pm: M Weir (Can), M Every, R Castro

5.31pm: G Woodland, A Cabrera (Arg), I Poulter (Eng)

5.42pm: Fred Couples, Webb Simpson, Chang-woo Lee (Kor)

5.53pm: G McDowell (NIrl), R Fowler, J Walker

6.04pm: Z Johnson, K J Choi (Kor), S Stricker

6.15pm: B Haas, M Angel Jimenez (Spa), M Manassero (Ita)

6.26pm: H Matsuyama (Jpn), B Snedeker, J Donaldson (Wal)

6.37pm: J Furyk, C Schwartzel (Rsa), T Olesen (Den)

6.48pm: J Dufner, A Scott (Aus), (x) M Fitzpatrick (Eng)

6.59pm: J Spieth, P Reed, R McIlroy (NIrl)

(USA unless stated, all times Irish): (x) denotes amateurs