Australia’s only Masters champion has urged debutant Min Woo Lee to ignore the ghosts of Augusta National and create his own slice of history when the tournament begins on Thursday night AEST.
Playing in his first Masters by virtue of his ranking inside the top 50 in the world at the end of 2021, Lee will be the first Aussie out in the opening round at Augusta, teeing off with Americans Hudson Swafford and Cameron Young at 10.55pm.
He will be followed by Australia’s leading hope Cameron Smith at 12.23am with 2013 champion Adam Scott drawn with newly-anointed world No.1 Scottie Scheffler and Tony Finau.
One of three Australians on debut this week, Lee has been absorbing every ounce of Masters magic since arriving at the property including a Monday practice round with a countryman who knows what it takes to succeed.
Scott was tied for ninth on debut himself in 2002 yet it wasn’t until 2011 that he supplanted that as his best finish at The Masters, tied for second behind South African Charl Schwartzel.
So while history suggests that first-timers rarely win, Scott didn’t want to hold Lee back from contending.
“I told him I showed up here, didn’t know anything, and finished ninth. It’s not that hard. Just go out and play golf,” Scott said.
“I get it is an overwhelming experience being here. (Monday) is the first kind of day of Masters week, and Min’s played a couple times already.
“He’s got the next three days to kind of get comfortable, and that’s all I can really tell him to do.
“I don’t know his game, so that’s about it. He’s just got to figure a way to get comfortable for Thursday.
“I’d be surprised if he’s not the most nervous he’s ever been on the tee on Thursday.”
After Scott and Lee’s Monday round, three other Aussies beat the weather by playing the back nine together on Tuesday morning.
Top five at both Scott’s 2013 triumph and last year’s win by Hideki Matsuyama, Marc Leishman has long been considered an Aussie well-suited to Augusta and played with close mate Cam Smith and debutant Cam Davis before the storms hit.
This year also marks seven years since Leisman missed The Masters to be by the bedside of his wife Audrey as she battled a life-threatening illness, that experience helping to quell the nerves others may feel each April.
“It did bring things into perspective, and I think that helps with the nervous factor,” Leishman explained.
“If you do play well, it’s awesome. If you don’t play well, it’s not like you’re going to be shot at the end of the day or anything. It’s just golf, but it’s obviously a golf tournament that I really want to win.
“I think I’ve always had a pretty good perspective, and I think when you go through something like that, it makes it better possibly.”
Round 1 tee times AEST
The Masters
Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
Round 1
10.55pm Min Woo Lee, Hudson Swafford, Cameron Young
12.23am Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey
12.56am Adam Scott, Scottie Scheffler, Tony Finau
1.40am Cameron Davis, Bernhard Langer, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
2.24am Lucas Herbert, Patrick Reed, Seamus Power
2.57am Marc Leishman, Webb Simpson, Sungjae Im
Round 2
10.22pm Cameron Davis, Bernhard Langer, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
11.06pm Lucas Herbert, Patrick Reed, Seamus Power
11.39pm Marc Leishman, Webb Simpson, Sungjae Im
2.02am Min Woo Lee, Hudson Swafford, Cameron Young
3.30am Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey
4.03am Adam Scott, Scottie Scheffler, Tony Finau
Defending champion: Hideki Matsuyama
Past Aussie winners: Adam Scott (2013)
Top Aussie prediction: Cameron Smith
TV coverage AEST
Thursday
5am Par 3 Contest live on 9Gem and 9Now
5am Par 3 Contest live on Fox Sports 503
8am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 503
Friday
12.30am Amen Corner – Round 1 on Fox Sports 503
1.45am Holes 15 and 16 – Round 1 on Fox Sports 506
5am Amen Corner – Round 1 on Fox Sports 505
5am The Masters – Round 1 on Fox Sports 503
5am The Masters – Round 1 on 9Gem and 9Now
9.30am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 503
Saturday
12.30am Amen Corner – Round 2 on Fox Sports 503
1.45am Holes 15 and 16 – Round 2 on Fox Sports 506
5am Amen Corner – Round 2 on Fox Sports 505
5am The Masters – Round 2 on Fox Sports 503
5am The Masters – Round 1 on 9Gem and 9Now
9.30am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 5035am LIVE on 9Gem and 9Now
Sunday
1am Masters On The Range on Fox Sports 505
1.30am Amen Corner – Round 3 on Fox Sports 503
2.30am Holes 15 and 16 – Round 3 on Fox Sports 506
5am Amen Corner – Round 3 on Fox Sports 505
5am The Masters – Round 3 on Fox Sports 503
5am The Masters – Round 3 on 9Gem and 9Now
9am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 503
Monday
1am Masters On The Range on Fox Sports 505
1.45am Amen Corner – Final Round on Fox Sports 503
2.30am Holes 15 and 16 – Final Round on Fox Sports 506
4am Amen Corner – Final Round on Fox Sports 505
4am The Masters – Final Round on Fox Sports 503
4am The Masters – Round 1 on 9Gem and 9Now
9am Live From The Masters on Fox Sports 503
Australian Player Profiles
Cameron Smith
World ranking: 6
Age: 28
Major wins: 0
PGA Tour wins: 4
Best finish at The Masters: T2 in 2020
Best finish in 2022: Won Sentry Tournament of Champions, THE PLAYERS Championship
Key stat: 2.048 Strokes Gained: Total (2nd)
The quote: “I feel pretty hungry. Pretty good time of year to be playing good golf. Still been working hard the last couple of weeks at home and I really can’t wait to get back out here this week. I’ve had three weeks off after THE PLAYERS, just ready to compete.”
Adam Scott
World ranking: 36
Age: 41
Major wins: 1 (2013 Masters)
PGA Tour wins: 14
Best finish at The Masters: Won in 2013
Best finish in 2022: T4 at Genesis Invitational
Key stat: +0.602 Strokes Gained: Putting (13th)
The quote: “I’m not a bookmaker, but I think I’ve been playing generally well, and I really like playing here. I’m comfortable here. I’ve addressed a few things in my golf game that are moving in the right direction. There’s no reason why, if I find a nice rhythm out on the golf course this week, I can’t be right there at the end on Sunday.”
Marc Leishman
World ranking: 43
Age: 38
Major wins: 0
PGA Tour wins: 6
Best finish at The Masters: T4 in 2013
Best finish in 2022: T10 Sentry Tournament of Champions
Key stat: 4.58 Birdie Average (11th)
The quote: “Who knows if I will or not, but I just love the moment of when you’re here and you’re on that back nine on Sunday and you’ve got a chance to win. I feel like I thrive in that moment. I’ve played well in that position before, just haven’t played well enough to leave here with that green jacket. I have fun with it, and I don’t put too much pressure on myself, and I think that’s important for me.”
Lucas Herbert
World ranking: 44
Age: 27
Major wins: 0
PGA Tour wins: 1
Best finish at The Masters: First appearance
Best finish in 2022: T7 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Key stat: +0.820 Strokes Gained: Putting (5th)
The quote: “I felt like the golf course actually suited me more than I expected it to. I was concerned for a few shots there that probably didn’t suit the strengths of my game but it actually wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be for me. I thought it actually suited me reasonably well in a lot of ways.”
Min Woo Lee
World ranking: 59
Age: 23
Major wins: 0
PGA Tour wins: 0
Best finish at The Masters: First appearance
Best finish in 2022: T4 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship
Key stat: +0.54 Strokes Gained Around the Green (3rd, 2021 DP World Tour)
The quote: “I went to Augusta a couple of weeks ago and had a couple of practice rounds and it was amazing. It’s a bit different to what it looks like on TV so I’m excited to get going. Hopefully I can play well this week; it will be an amazing experience.”
Cam Davis
World ranking: 96
Age: 27
Major wins: 0
PGA Tour wins: 1
Best finish at The Masters: First appearance
Best finish in 2022: T10 Sentry Tournament of Champions
Key stat: 32.35 per cent, Going for the Green – Hit Green Percentage (12th)
The quote: “I had a hit a couple of weeks ago, and it was a little slow, but seeing it at tournament speed has really brought the course alive. It’s a lot of fun. Just sitting there seeing everything you’ve seen on TV in person, that’s the biggest part. Walking down 10, seeing Amen Corner for the first time. It’s just knowing exactly where everything is and seeing it there in person with your own eyes, it’s a really cool feeling.”
