Casey handed chance to prove Woods wrong

Paul Casey goes head-to-head with Tiger Woods in the first two rounds of the Masters on Thursday and Friday.

But the crowds at Augusta National will have to wait a long time to see them tee off in the opening major of the season.

Along with Australian Aaron Baddeley, they are in third last group of the opening day at 1.52pm local time.

Casey, 29, and 26-year-old Baddeley might be out to prove a point if they hear or read what Woods said in his pre-tournament press conference today.

The band of youngsters who hope they are ready to challenge for Masters glory were put firmly in their place by the world number one.

Two days before the start of his attempt for a fifth win at Augusta in 11 years, a third successive major and his 13th in all, Woods was asked if he had a sense that “maybe a few guys younger than you can possibly push you and Phil (Mickelson) and Vijay (Singh) on this course now”.

He gave a one-word answer. “Who?”

Charles Howell, Adam Scott and Paul Casey were offered up, but pointing out the lack of top-of-the-leaderboard experience, Woods replied: “I just think it helps to be in contention too – to know how to deal with the back nine and all of the different roars and all of the different things that happen here on the back nine on Sunday.

“There are so many different things that happen here. I was lucky enough that I had a huge lead going into Sunday in 1997.

“But in 2001 [his second Masters victory] my experiences of being in contention a few times helped me so much.

“Back then, the golf course wasn’t like this and eagles were being made on 13 and 15. Different birdies were being made and guys were shooting 31s and 32s pretty regular on the back nine.

“There so many different distractions that you have to know how to handle. Phil had been many a time before he won and it helps.”

Casey is playing just his third Masters. He was sixth on his debut three years ago, but had a closing 74 for that.

Baddeley played as an amateur in 2000, having won the Australian Open the previous year, and again the following April. He missed the cut both times and has yet to break par on the course.

Scott, up to world number three behind Woods and Jim Furyk after his victory in Houston on Sunday, has made five trips to Augusta, with a best of ninth on his debut in 2002.

In 2004, the Australian had just won the Players Championship in Florida but, with expectations high for a first major, he opened with an 80 and missed the cut.

Howell is from Augusta and is playing the golf of his life this season.

But in five Masters so far he has missed the cut the last two years – last April with rounds of 80 and 84 – and before that posted finishes of 29th, 28th and 13th.

The draw also sees Ryder Cup teammates Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald paired together, while Colin Montgomerie is with his former Cup partner Bernhard Langer.

The 1988 champion Sandy Lyle and debutant Bradley Dredge are also grouped, as are Justin Rose and twice winner Jose Maria Olazabal, the returning Seve Ballesteros and Carl Pettersson, Darren Clarke and Johan Edfors, and Ian Woosnam and Robert Karlsson.

Ian Poulter will be the second player to tee off at 8am local time. He is in a two-ball with American Billy Mayfair.

In keeping with tradition, Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, the US Amateur champion, plays with defending champion Phil Mickelson.

Scott makes up the three-ball.