Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The Masters was first contested in 1934 and won by American Horton Smith
ByPeter ScrivenerBBC Sport senior journalist- Published7 April 2026
The 90th Masters takes place from 9 to 12 April, with defending champion Rory McIlroy among a 91-strong field featuring two-time winner Scottie Scheffler.
BBC Sport will have live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra across all four days.
There will also be live text commentary, in-play clips, video highlights, reaction and analysis on the BBC Sport website and app.
When is the 2026 Masters?
Round one: Thursday, 9 April - first tee from 12:40 BST
Round two: Friday, 10 April - first tee from 12:40 BST
Round three: Saturday, 11 April - tee-times to be confirmed
Round four: Sunday, 12 April - tee-times to be confirmed
Full tee-times for rounds one and two.
The Masters
9-12 April
Augusta National Golf Club
Live text commentary of rounds one and two from 12:30 BST, and rounds three and four from 17:00 BST.
Live radio coverage on BBC Sounds from 20:00 BST across all four roundsWho are the favourites?
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Scottie Scheffler started 2026 with a win, a third and a fourth place in his first three starts, but has finished outside the top 20 of his past two events after poor first rounds
World number one Scottie Scheffler again arrives at Augusta widely considered as the man to beat.
The 29-year-old American is already a two-time champion - in 2022 and 2024 – and goes into his seventh appearance still having never finished outside the top 20.
Rory McIlroy can never be discounted, of course, as he attempts to become only the fourth man to win back-to-back Masters.
The build-up for the 36-year-old from Northern Ireland has not been as smooth as it was 12 months ago, but he remains among the frontrunners despite a lack of competitive action.
The optimism of three top-10 finishes at the start of the season was replaced by concerns about a back injury, which forced him to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational and hampered him at the Players Championship, but he appears over that niggle.
Another American, Bryson DeChambeau, reignites his challenge for a first Green Jacket, hoping to have learned lessons from faltering last year when he went out alongside McIlroy in Sunday's final pairing.
DeChambeau might still play on a LIV Tour which has its detractors, but his place among the favourites - given his ability and form shown in two recent victories on the breakaway circuit – cannot be questioned given he is also a two-time US Open champion.
Spain's Jon Rahm is another LIV player expected to feature high on the leaderboard. Rahm, who won in 2023, is a perennial challenger at the majors and searches for a third major title buoyed by leading the LIV standings this year.
England's Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open winner, comes into the tournament full of confidence after his recent runners-up finish at the Players Championship, while he has two Ryder Cup team-mates also hitting form heading into this week.
Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, who was fourth at the Players and joint second in Texas last week has also hit form heading into Augusta, while Sweden's Ludvig Aberg – who was runner-up on his debut in 2024 and seventh last year - clearly enjoys the test.
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Is Tiger Woods playing at the 2026 Masters?
Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods will not be playing at Augusta National this year because he is taking some time away from the game after crashing his car in late March.
Nobody was seriously injured but Woods was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
The 15-time major champion, who won the last of his five titles at Augusta in 2019, did not play the event last year after rupturing his left Achilles tendon.
He had raised hopes he may return this year when he played in the final of his indoor TGL competition in Florida last month.
The 50-year-old has not competed in a PGA Tour event since the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Three-time winner Phil Mickelson is also absent this year. It is the first time since 1994 that neither Mickelson or Woods will be in the Masters field.
The six-time major winner said: "Unfortunately, I will not play in the Masters and will be out for an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a personal health matter."
What is the weather forecast for Augusta?
The BBC weather forecast for Augusta, Georgia is predicting a largely sunny week with temperatures reaching a high of around 21C.
However, there is a small chance of light showers for Sunday's final round.
Why do Masters winners get a Green Jacket?
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Masters tradition dictates that the champion is helped into his Green Jacket by the previous year's winner
It is arguably the most sought-after jacket in sport.
The great Bobby Jones, founder of the Augusta National Golf Club in 1933 and co-founder of the Masters which began in 1934, came up with the idea of a members' jacket.
The American amateur, who won seven majors, took his lead from Royal Liverpool, after winning The Open in 1927. He liked the red hunting jacket worn by the club's former captains.
Red, yellow and 'Georgia peach' colours were all floated between Jones and his business partner Clifford Roberts before the latter, inspired by the colour of the leaves on the azalea bushes that dominate Augusta National, suggested green.
The idea was that members wore the jacket and were therefore easily recognisable by spectators visiting the course.
Sam Snead was the first Masters winner to be awarded a Green Jacket, in 1949.
It is made of an inexpensive wool-polyester mix and costs about £195 to make each one. The colour is known as 'Pantone 342'.
Each jacket is kept permanently in the Champions Locker Room and only worn during Masters Week, strictly within the confines of Augusta National's clubhouse.
Initially, only first-time winners were allowed to remove the jacket from the property and then just for the first 12 months. Recently, winners have been given a replica jacket they can take away.
Has the Par 3 Contest taken place at Augusta?
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Frankie Fleetwood reacts on the ninth tee at Augusta during the Par 3 Contest - with onlookers including his father Tommy plus Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry
First played in 1960, the Par 3 Contest has become the traditional fun curtain-raiser to the Masters.
It took place as usual this year on Wednesday, with most players having their wives, girlfriends, children, or even grandchildren as caddies and dressed in the traditional white boiler suits.
Past champions such as 90-year-old Gary Player caught the eye of spectators in the nine-hole event that criss-crosses DeSoto Springs Pond and Ike's Pond.
England's Aaron Rai topped the leaderboard this year. Famously, no player has won the Par 3 Contest and then gone on to win the Green Jacket in the same year.
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Who are the honorary starters?
Record six-time champion Jack Nicklaus will again be joined on the first tee by fellow Masters winners Gary Player and Tom Watson to hit the tournament's ceremonial opening tee shots.
The tradition began in 1963 with Jock Hutchison (1963-1973) and Fred McLeod (1963-1976) performing the duties.
Nicklaus, 86, has been part of the ceremony since 2010 with 90-year-old Player - a winner of three Masters - joining in 2012. Watson, 76, won two titles and has been in the group since 2022.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 07:25 (12:25 BST) on the first tee.
How to follow The Masters on the BBC
BBC Sport will have live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra across all four days.
There will also be live text commentary, in-play clips, video highlights, reaction and analysis on the BBC Sport website and app.
Thursday, 9 April
12:30-01:00 - live text commentary on round one on BBC Sport website, with in-play clips
20:00-01:00 - live radio commentary on 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds
Friday, 10 April
12:30-01:00 - live text commentary on round two on BBC Sport website, with in-play clips
20:30-22:00 - live radio commentary on 5 Live and BBC Sounds
22:00-01:00 - live radio commentary on 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds
Saturday, 11 April
17:00-01:00 - live text commentary on round three on BBC Sport website, with in-play clips
21:00-01:00 - live radio commentary on 5 Live and BBC Sounds
Sunday, 12 April
17:00-01:00 - live text commentary on round four on BBC Sport website, with in-play clips
20:00-01:00 - live radio commentary on 5 Live and BBC Sounds
All timings subject to change, please check listings.
