A general view on the second hole during a practice round prior to the start of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 2, 2018, in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

By Christopher Powers
For the first time since 2006, golf fans had something to hold them over until the Masters this winter with the rescheduling of the Players Championship. The event, while not a major, still had a major feel, and it produced one of the more memorable Sundays in recent history. That’s not to say there aren’t other big-time events during the West Coast and Florida swings, but the Players gave fans the type of must-see tournament the winter months have been lacking in the last decade.

With that said, the Masters still can’t get here soon enough, and it will always signal the beginning of golf season, specifically for those who live in cold-weather areas of the country. The sights and sounds at Augusta National kick off the year in a way that no other tournament can, and this year’s edition of the Masters promises to be a special one. There are too many intriguing storylines to count, with Rory McIlroy’s quest for the career Grand Slam leading the way following his Players Championship victory. Of course, there’s also Tiger Woods, who will be the main draw as long as he’s still healthy enough to compete at Augusta National. Patrick Reed, whose game is beginning to trend in the right direction, is the defending champion.

Thursday Tee Times (all times ET)
8:30 a.m. — Andrew Landry, Adam Long, Corey Conners
8:41 a.m. — Ian Woosnam, Keith Mitchell, Kevin Tway
8:52 a.m. — Mike Weir, Shane Lowry, Kevin O’Connell (a)
9:03 a.m. — Angel Cabrera, Aaron Wise, Justin Harding
9:14 a.m. — Danny Willett, Brandt Snedeker, Takumi Kanaya (a)
9:25 a.m. — Fred Couples, Si Woo Kim, J.B. Holmes
9:36 a.m. — Branden Grace, Emiliano Grillo, Lucas Bjerregaard
9:47 a.m. — Charl Schwartzel, Charles Howell III, Eddie Pepperell
9:58 a.m. — Sergio Garcia, Tony Finau, Henrik Stenson
10:09 a.m. — Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama, Kyle Stanley
10:31 a.m. — Patrick Reed, Webb Simpson, Viktor Hovland (a)
10:42 a.m. — Charley Hoffman, Louis Oosthuizen, Marc Leishman
10:53 a.m. — Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele, Gary Woodland
11:04 a.m. — Tiger Woods, HaoTong Li, Jon Rahm
11:15 a.m. — Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Cameron Smith
11:26 a.m. — Sandy Lyle, Michael Kim, Patton Kizzire
11:37 a.m. — Trevor Immelman, Martin Kaymer, Devon Bling (a)
11:48 a.m. — Larry Mize, Jimmy Walker, Stewart Cink
11:59 a.m. — Jose Maria Olazabal, Kevin Na, Thorbjorn Olesen
12:10 p.m. — Bernhard Langer, Matt Wallace, Alvaro Ortiz (a)
12:32 p.m. — Alex Noren, Keegan Bradley, Matthew Fitzpatrick
12:43 p.m. — Vijay Singh, Billy Horschel, Jovan Rebula (a)
12:54 p.m. — Kevin Kisner, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Shugo Imahira
1:05 p.m. — Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter, Matt Kuchar
1:16 p.m. — Francesco Molinari, Rafael Cabrera Bello, Tyrrell Hatton
1:27 p.m. — Bubba Watson, Patrick Cantlay, Satoshi Kodaira
1:38 p.m. — Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day
1:49 p.m. — Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose, Justin Thomas
2.00 p.m. — Jordan Spieth, Paul Casey, Brooks Koepka

Friday Tee Times (all times ET)
8:30 a.m. — Sandy Lyle, Michael Kim, Patton Kizzire
8:41 a.m. — Trevor Immelman, Martin Kaymer, Devon Bling (a)
8:52 a.m. — Larry Mize, Jimmy Walker, Stewart Cink
9:03 a.m. — Jose Maria Olazabal, Kevin Na, Thorbjorn Olesen
9:14 a.m. — Bernhard Langer, Matt Wallace, Alvaro Ortiz (a)
9:25 a.m. — Alex Noren, Keegan Bradley, Matthew Fitzpatrick
9:36 a.m. — Vijay Singh, Billy Horschel, Jovan Rebula (a)
9:47 a.m. — Kevin Kisner, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Shugo Imahira
9:58 a.m. — Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter, Matt Kuchar
10:09 a.m. — Francesco Molinari, Rafael Cabrera Bello, Tyrrell Hatton
10:31 a.m. — Bubba Watson, Patrick Cantlay, Satoshi Kodaira
10:42 a.m. — Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day
10:53 a.m. — Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose, Justin Thomas
11:04 a.m. — Jordan Spieth, Paul Casey, Brooks Koepka
11:15 a.m. — Andrew Landry, Adam Long, Corey Conners
11:26 a.m. — Ian Woosnam, Keith Mitchell, Kevin Tway
11:37 a.m. — Mike Weir, Shane Lowry, Kevin O’Connell (a)
11:48 a.m. — Angel Cabrera, Aaron Wise, Justin Harding
11:59 a.m. — Danny Willett, Brandt Snedeker, Takumi Kanaya (a)
12:10 p.m. — Fred Couples, Si Woo Kim, J.B. Holmes
12:32 p.m. — Branden Grace, Emiliano Grillo, Lucas Bjerregaard
12:43 p.m. — Charl Schwartzel, Charles Howell III, Eddie Pepperell
12:54 p.m. — Sergio Garcia, Tony Finau, Henrik Stenson
1:05 p.m. — Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama, Kyle Stanley
1:16 p.m. — Patrick Reed, Webb Simpson, Viktor Hovland (a)
1:27 p.m. — Charley Hoffman, Louis Oosthuizen, Marc Leishman
1:38 p.m. — Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele, Gary Woodland
1:49 p.m. — Tiger Woods, HaoTong Li, Jon Rahm
2.00 p.m. — Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Cameron Smith