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Tiger Woods starts Masters early with Shane Lowry, Andy Ogletree

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tiger Woods will begin defense of his Masters title on Thursday at 7:55 a.m. off the 10th tee with Shane Lowry and Andy Ogletree.

Due to reduced daylight in November, the Masters is using a two-tee start on Thursday and Friday, with players alternating each day between morning and afternoon starts.

Ogletree is the 2019 U.S. Amateur champion, and per Masters tradition, he plays with the defending Masters champion. Lowry won the 2019 Open at Royal Portrush. The threesome will begin play off the first tee on Friday at noon.

Play begins at 7 a.m. off both the first and 10th tees with 11-minute intervals.

The field will be 92 players, down from the original 96. Joaquin Niemann and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia withdrew due to COVID-19 positive tests. Past champions Angel Cabrera (2009) and Trevor Immelman (2008) also withdrew, but reasons were not given.

U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau tees off at 7:33 a.m. Thursday off the 10th tee with Jon Rahm and Louis Oosthuizen. Patrick Reed, who won the 2018 Masters, is with Paul Casey and Tony Finau at 7:44 a.m. off the 10th.

The later wave begins at 11:05 a.m. Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson is in a group with Abraham Ancer and Bernd Wiesberger at 11:27 a.m. Adam Scott is with PGA champion Collin Morikawa and Tyrrell Hatton at 11:38 a.m.

No. 1-ranked Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay tee off at noon.

The last tee time is at 12:22 p.m. and the later groups will be scrambling to beat darkness, which is expected around 5:30 p.m. each day.