Rory McIlroy returns to Augusta National as the defending Masters champion as the first major of the year gets underway at one of golf's most iconic venues, with the world's best players competing for the coveted Green Jacket.
McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam on a hugely dramatic Sunday in 2025, and is now looking to become the first player in 24 years to successfully defend the title, joining the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo in achieving back-to-back victories.
He leads a field packed with stars, including Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Ludvig Åberg and Tommy Fleetwood from the PGA Tour, alongside LIV Golf representatives such as Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm.
Widely regarded as one of the highlights of the sporting calendar, the Masters brings together an elite field at pristine Augusta, and here is your essential guide to following the four days.
- The Masters is back. Why can't I watch it all in the UK? Blackout rules explained
- Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, sleeper contenders, top storylines
- Masters 2026: Ranking favorites, contenders, hopefuls and everyone else
- Who could follow in Rory McIlroy's footsteps? Top British hopes
When and where is The Masters?
The Masters runs from Thursday, April 9 to Sunday, April 12 and marks the first major championship of the year, steeped in tradition and regarded as one of the most prestigious events in golf.
It is held annually at Augusta National Golf Club, an iconic par-72 course known for its pristine presentation, lightning-fast greens and azalea-lined fairways. Unlike the other majors, the Masters never changes venue, adding to its unique character and history.
One of the defining stretches of the course is Amen Corner -- holes 11, 12 and 13 -- where tournaments can be won or lost. The par-three 12th, played over Rae's Creek, is especially notorious for its swirling winds and unforgiving green, making it one of the most recognisable and challenging holes in the sport.
How to watch in the UK
Subscribers in the UK can watch the action on Sky Sports Golf, who are live from Augusta from Monday onwards with preview shows and a Par 3 contest before the first round begins on Thursday.
Main coverage begins at 2 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 4.30 p.m. over the weekend, although the wall-to-wall action won't be available until 6 p.m. and 5 p.m. on those days, when the global broadcast window opens.
In the intervening period -- and throughout The Masters -- viewers can view feeds from Feature Groups, Holes 4, 5 and 6, Amen Corner, and 15 and 16 on Sky Sports+.
Much of the action will also be simulcast live on Sky Sports Main Event.
All times in BST
Monday, April 6
On The Range: 5 p.m. - Sky Sports Golf
Live from The Masters: 7 p.m.- Sky Sports Golf
Tuesday, April 7
Live from The Masters: 2 p.m.- Sky Sports Golf
Wednesday, April 8
Live from The Masters: 2 p.m.- Sky Sports Golf
The Masters Par 3 contest: 5 p.m. - Sky Sports Golf
Thursday, April 9
Round 1: 2 p.m. - Sky Sports Golf
The Masters: Featured Holes/Amen Corner: 3.45 p.m. - on Sky Sports+
Friday, April 10
Round 2: 2 p.m. - Sky Sports Golf
The Masters: Featured Holes/Amen Corner: 3.45 p.m. - on Sky Sports+
Saturday, April 11
Round 3: 4.30 p.m. - Sky Sports Golf
The Masters: Featured Holes/Amen Corner: 3.45 p.m. - on Sky Sports+
Sunday, April 12
Round 4.30 p.m. - Sky Sports Golf
The Masters: Featured Holes/Amen Corner: 5 p.m. - on Sky Sports+
Why can't I watch all of The Masters live?
The first tee shot at The Masters typically happens at around 12.30 p.m. BST -- but while Sky Sports is 'live' from The Masters at 2 p.m., the main tournament broadcast covering the entire field does not start until 6 p.m.
The limitation comes down to how The Masters is broadcast globally. Unlike other majors, there's a set global broadcast window at Augusta National, which determines when full, continuous television coverage is made available to rights holders.
Broadcasters are restricted to showing selected live feeds -- such as featured groups, Amen Corner and specific holes -- until that window opens.
This is less of an issue on Saturday and Sunday when the leaders tee off later in the day, but often frustrating for fans on the opening days when the star players have likely all teed off before full coverage is available.
The Masters does offer additional live coverage through its official website and app, including multiple featured streams and player tracking. However, the full live broadcast feed available in some regions is subject to geo-restrictions and is not accessible in the UK.
These arrangements reflect Augusta's broader approach to the tournament. The club is known for maintaining a number of traditional rules -- including a ban on mobile phones for patrons -- and keeps tight control over how the event is presented, with the aim of preserving its character and presentation.
Prize money
1st: $4,500,000
2nd: $2,430,000
3rd: $1,530,000
4th: $1,080,000
5th: $900,000
6th: $810,000
7th: $753,750
8th: $697,500
9th: $652,500
10th: $607,500
Tee times: Round 4
All times BST; * denotes amateur
USA unless stated
1417 Gary Woodland, Kurt Kitayama
1428 Jon Rahm (Esp), Sergio Garcia (Esp)
1439 Si Woo Kim (Kor), Rasmus Hojgaard (Den)
1450 Keegan Bradley, Dustin Johnson
1501 Denny McCarty, Coren Conners (Can)
1512 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Justin Thomas
1523 Alex Noren (Swe), Maverick McNealy
1545 Adam Scott (Aus), Marco Penge (Eng)
1556 Harris English, Samuel Stevens
1607 Brian Harman, Jordan Spieth
1618 Sungjae Im (Kor), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn)
1629 Sepp Straka (Aut), Jacob Bridgeman
1640 Chris Gotterup, Kristoffer Reitan (Nor)
1651 Michael Brennan, Max Homa
1713 Nick Taylor (Can), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng)
1724 Ludvig Åberg (Swe), Brian Campbell
1735 Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng)
1746 Brooks Koepka, Wyndham Clark
1757 Ryan Gerard, Xander Schauffele
1808 Jake Knapp, Ben Griffin
1830 Patrick Reed, Collin Morikawa
1841 Patrick Cantlay, Russell Henley
1852 Scottie Scheffler, Haotong Li (Chn)
1903 Jason Day (Aus), Justin Rose (Eng)
1914 Sam Burns, Shane Lowry (Irl)
1925 Rory McIlroy (NIrl), Cameron Young