Woods among last groups Thursday at Augusta; Mickelson late Friday

Apr 3, 2007, 21:15 GMT

Augusta, GA - Four-time champion Tiger Woods will tee it up late on Thursday in the first round of this year's Masters Tournament, while defending champion Phil Mickelson will have a late tee time on Friday at Augusta National.

The two have dominated the golf season's first major championship recently, as Mickelson has captured two of the last three titles with Woods sandwiched between.

Woods, who also won the coveted green jacket in 1997, 2001 and 2002, will begin the quest for another championship on Thursday afternoon at 1:52 p.m. (et) and will have a 10:34 a.m. tee time on Friday. He will play the first two rounds with England's Paul Casey, who finished sixth last year, and Australian Aaron Baddeley, who has missed the cut in his previous two Masters appearances.

Mickelson will play with Australian Adam Scott, who wound up ninth last year and won last week's Houston Open, as well as Scotland's Richie Ramsay, the winner of last year's U.S. Amateur. The trio will tee it up Thursday at 10:56 a.m. (et) and on Friday at 2:03 p.m.

This year's field is comprised of 97 players and includes 31 groups of three players and a pair of twosomes.

Billy Mayfair and Ian Poulter will have the honors of hitting the first official tee shots of this year's tournament at 8:00 a.m. (et) on Thursday, but only after Arnold Palmer hits the ceremonial first tee shot.

Palmer, a four-time Masters champion, played his 50th and final Masters in 2004. He will become the first honorary starter since Sam Snead in 2002.

Reigning U.S. Open champ Geoff Ogilvy, who tied for 16th last year, will play in a threesome with 1992 champion Fred Couples and two-time Masters runner-up Ernie Els.

Vijay Singh, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour already this year and the 2000 Masters champ, will play in the group directly after Woods on Thursday and Friday.

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