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Fans flock to watch Tiger Woods in a practice round for the 2018 Masters at Augusta National. Photo: Reuters
SportGolf

Comeback kid Tiger Woods favourite for a fifth green jacket – what time does the Masters start and how can I watch it in Hong Kong?

First major of the year tees off on Thursday in Augusta with American fancied to win 21 years after his first triumph while China’s Li Haotong makes his debut

The Masters
Jonathan White
Jonathan White
Why you can trust SCMP
With the rugby fever gripping the city this week it’s easy to forget that the rest of the sporting world has not ground to a halt for the Hong Kong Sevens.
Golf’s great and good will contest the Masters and the race for the illustrious green jacket begins on Thursday April 5 with the winner crowned on Sunday April 8.
The first major of 2018 is the 82nd year of play at the Augusta National course and 87 golfers will be hoping to etch their name into history, the smallest field since Tiger Woods put on his first green jacket in 1997.

Who are the favourites?

Tiger Woods is looking for his fifth green jacket but he has not won at Augusta since 2005 and has not even played the tournament since 2015. That hasn’t stopped him being considered among the favourites by the bookmakers, though. Tiger, now 42, is priced at $10 along with 2015 champion Jordan Spieth. Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy are just behind at $12 as they look for a first green jacket while Bubba Watson, Justin Rose and Phil Mickelson are all priced at $15.

China’s Li Haotong, the youngest man in the world’s top 50, is a rank outsider at $200 in his first masters but the 22-year-old was third in last year’s Open Championship. Former champions Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle and Fred Couples are amongst the longest shots to pull on the famous jacket again.

What time is it on?

The time difference between Hong Kong and Augusta, Georgia, is 12 hours so local golf fans will have to stay up through the night to keep up with the action.

It all tees off tonight at 8.30pm (HK time) when the first trio take to the course, with players heading out until the final tee time of 2am. Play is expected to finish by 7.30am Friday morning (HK time).

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Who is playing when?

Tiger Woods plays at 10.42pm (HK time) before reining champion Sergio Garcia tees off at 10.53pm. Li Haotong is on at 12.10am (Friday) then Rory McIlroy is at 1.38am and Jordan Spieth at 1.49am. Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose play at 2am in the final round of the first day.

Where can I watch it?

The Masters will be broadcast on Fox Sports 2 (channel 671) in Hong Kong with coverage beginning at 9pm and running until midnight on that channel before shifting to Fox Sports 1 (channel 670) from 2am until the end of play. A highlights show begins at 7.30am on Fox Sports 1, and is rebroadcast throughout the day on Fox Sports 2.

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