Masters opening round delayed by weather as Rory McIlroy plan dealt major blow

Tee times on the opening morning of the Masters will be delayed due to poor weather forecasts at Augusta National.

Organizers announced at 5am on Thursday (April 11) that play will start no earlier than 9am local time (2pm BST). The first group was scheduled to tee off at 8am local time (1pm BST).

The statement from organisers read: “We continue to monitor the weather closely. Gate openings and tee times have been delayed until further notice. The first round will not begin before 9 a.m.”

They later confirmed the first round would begin at 10:30am local time (3:30pm BST), with the Honorary Starters Ceremony at 10:10am and patron gates opening at 9:30am.

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are set to tee off together in a marque group alongside Xander Schaufelle. That group was scheduled to go out at 10:42am local time, now delayed until 1:12pm local time (6:12pm BST).

Full updated tee times for rounds one and two can be found here.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, McIlroy declared his desire to play “boring” golf in the first round to keep himself in contention for a first green jacket. However, weather conditions might make his objective increasingly difficult as players face thunderstorms and gusts of wind.

“Good golf at Augusta feels like boring golf and I think that’s something that I’ve always struggled with because that’s not my game,” McIlroy said earlier this week. “To me it’s the biggest test of discipline and the biggest test of patience of the year for me.

“This golf course gets you to chase things a little more than other golf courses, if you make a bogey or if you get yourself out of position, because it always tempts you to do something you think you can do.

“A thing I have tried to learn is not trying to win it from the first tee shot. It’s a 72-hole golf tournament. I’ve won from 10 strokes back going into the weekend. There’s loads of different ways to do it.”

Rory McIlroy wants to play

Weather is expected to take a turn for the worse at 6am local time (11am GMT) with thunderstorms and winds of up to 45mph forecast for the first morning of the Masters. There is a 90% chance of rain before 1pm although temperatures will still reach 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

McIlroy was backed this week by Tiger Woods to complete a career grand slam by winning at Augusta.

“No question, he’ll do it at some point,” Woods declared. Rory’s too talented, too good. He’s going to be playing this event for a very long time. He’ll get it done. It’s just a matter of when.

“But, yes, I think that Rory will be a great Masters champion one day, and it could be this week. You never know. I just think that just, again, the talent that he has, the way he plays the game and the golf course fits his eye, it’s just a matter of time.”