text: Rory McIlroy will tee off his bid to become just the sixth man to win golf's Grand Slam alongside Phil Mickelson and Ryan Moore at Augusta National on Thursday. The Northern Irishman will be joined over the first two rounds by three-time Masters champion Mickelson and another mercurial American in Moore in what promises to be an electric three-ball when they tee off at 3.41pm BST. But all eyes will be trained on Tiger Woods among the later starters, as the four-time green jacket winner returns to action for the first time since February alongside two stars of last year's Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, Jamie Donaldson and Jimmy Walker. Rory McIlroy catches a golf ball on the practice ground at Augusta National on Tuesday . Tiger Woods talks with his girlfriend, Lindsey Vonn, and his son Charlie during practice on Tuesday . Round 1 . Group 1, 12:45pm: Charley Hoffman and Brian Harman . Group 2, 12:56pm: Larry Mize, Danny Willett, Byron Meth . Group 3, 1:079m: Tom Watson, Gary Woodland, Camilo Villegas . Group 4, 1:18pm: Mike Weir, Ben Crane, Corey Conners . Group 5, 1:29pm: Vijay Singh, Russell Henley, Darren Clarke . Group 6, 1:40pm: Jose Maria Olazabal, Brendon Todd, Kevin Na . Group 7, 1:51pm: Jonas Blixt, Kevin Streelman, Stephen Gallacher . Group 8, 2:02pm: Patrick Reed, Keegan Bradley, Ian Poulter . Group 9, 2:13pm: Miguel Angel Jimenez, Lee Westwood, Anirban Lahiri . Group 10, 2:24pm: Bubba Watson, Justin Rose, Gunn Yang . Group 11, 2:53pm: Adam Scott, Dustin Johnson, Antonio Murdaca . Group 12, 2:57pm: Morgan Hoffmann, Steve Stricker, Matt Every . Group 13, 3:08pm: Ben Crenshaw, Bill Haas, Jason Dufner . Group 14, 3:19pm: Webb Simpson, Hideki Matsuyama, Paul Casey . Group 15, 3:30pm: Charl Schwartzel, Joost Luiten, Sangmoon Bae . Group 16, 3:41pm: Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Ryan Moore . Group 17, 3:52pm: J. B. Holmes, Martin Kaymer, Brandt Snedeker . Group 18, 4:03pm: Ian Woosnam, Erik Compton, Marc Leishman . Group 19, 4:14pm: Trevor Immelman, Kevin Stadler, Scott Harvey . Group 20, 4:25pm: Ben Martin, Robert Streb, Cameron Tringale . Group 21, 4:36pm: Sandy Lyle, Seung-yul Noh, Bradley Neil . Group 22, 4:47pm: Bernhard Langer, Bernd Wiesberger, Geoff Ogilvy . Group 23, 5:09pm: Zach Johnson, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els . Group 24, 5:20pm: Angel Cabrera, Louis Oosthuizen, Matias Dominguez . Group 25, 5:31pm: Mark O'Meara, Chris Kirk, Shane Lowry . Group 26, 5:42pm: Padraig Harrington, Ryan Palmer, Thomas Bjorn . Group 27, 5:53pm: James Hahn, Mikko Illonen, Hunter Mahan . Group 28, 6:04pm: Matt Kuchar, Brooks Koepka, Graeme McDowell . Group 29, 6:15pm: Jordan Spieth, Henrik Stenson, Billy Horschel . Group 30, 6:26pm: Fred Couples, Branden Grace, Thongchai Jaidee . Group 31, 6:37pm: Luke Donald, Victor Dubuisson, John Senden . Group 32, 6:48pm: Tiger Woods, Jamie Donaldson, Jimmy Walker . Group 33, 6:59pm: Jason Day, Sergio Garcia, Rickie Fowler . Round 2 . Group 1, 12:45pm: Ian Woosnam, Erik Compton, Marc Leishman . Group 2, 12:56pm: Trevor Immelman, Kevin Stadler, Scott Harvey . Group 3, 1:07pm: Ben Martin, Robert Streb, Cameron Tringale . Group 4, 1:18pm: Sandy Lyle, Seung-yul Noh, Bradley Neil . Group 5, 1:29pm: Bernhard Langer, Bernd Wiesberger, Geoff Ogilvy . Group 6, 1:40pm: Zach Johnson, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els . Group 7, 1:51pm: Angel Cabrera, Louis Oosthuizen, Matias Dominguez . Group 8, 2:02pm: Mark O'Meara, Chris Kirk, Shane Lowry . Group 9, 2:13pm: Padraig Harrington, Ryan Palmer, Thomas Bjorn . Group 10, 2:24pm: James Hahn, Mikko Ilonen, Hunter Mahan . Group 11, 2:35pm: Matt Kuchar, Brooks Koepka, Graeme McDowell . Group 12, 2:57pm: Jordan Spieth, Henrik Stenson, Billy Horschel . Group 13, 3:08pm: Fred Couples, Branden Grace, Thongchai Jaidee . Group 14, 3:19pm: Luke Donald, Victor Dubuisson, John Senden . Group 15, 3:30pm: Tiger Woods, Jamie Donaldson, Jimmy Walker . Group 16, 3:41pm: Jason Day, Sergio Garcia, Rickie Fowler . Group 17, 3:52pm: Charley Hoffman and Brian Harman . Group 18, 4:03pm: Larry Mize, Danny Willett, Byron Meth . Group 19, 4:14pm: Tom Watson, Gary Woodland, Camilo Villegas . Group 20, 4:25pm:  Mike Weir, Ben Crane, Corey Conners . Group 21, 4:36pm: Vijay Singh, Russell Henley, Darren Clarke . Group 22, 4:47pm: Jose Maria Olazabal, Brendon Todd, Kevin Na . Group 23, 5:09pm: Jonas Blixt, Kevin Streelman, Stephen Gallacher . Group 24, 5:20pm: Patrick Reed, Keegan Bradley, Ian Poulter . Group 25, 5:31pm: Miguel Angel Jimenez, Lee Westwood, Anirban Lahiri . Group 26, 5:42pm: Bubba Watson, Justin Rose, Gunn Yang . Group 27, 5:53pm: Adam Scott, Dustin Johnson, Antonio Murdaca . Group 28, 6:04pm: Morgan Hoffmann, Steve Stricker, Matt Every . Group 29, 6:15pm: Ben Crenshaw, Bill Haas, Jason Dufner . Group 30, 6:26pm: Webb Simpson, Hideki Matsuyama, Paul Casey . Group 31, 6:37pm: Charl Schwartzel, Joost Luiten, Sangmoon Bae . Group 32, 6:48pm: Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Ryan Moore . Group 33, 6:59pm: J. B. Holmes, Martin Kaymer, Brandt Snedeker . The 14-time major champion is bidding to win his fifth green jacket, but has been plagued by a succession of injuries and even the chipping yips in recent times. The world will find out which version of Woods will turn up when he tees off in the penultimate group at 6.48pm. Defending champion Bubba Watson, hoping to win his third Masters title in four years, will tee off at 2.24pm alongside England's former US Open champion Justin Rose and 21-year-old South Korean amateur Gunn Yang, who earned the right to play in the prestigious group by winning the US Amateur last year. Those watching the 2.02pm group on Thursday could see some fireworks as two of the game's most colourful characters go head-to-head. Ian Poulter could hardly be described as a shrinking violet, but even he might meet his match in American young gun Patrick Reed, who earned himself a brash reputation by professing himself to be among the top five players in the world after his big win at Doral last year. He followed that up by shushing the home crowd during a cocksure display at Gleneagles. Three-time Masters champion Phil MIckelson, hitting from behind trees during practice, will play alongside McIlroy in the first two rounds . Ryan Moore, pictured during a practice round at Augusta, will join McIlroy and Mickelson on the course for round one and two . Woods will be accompanied with Wales' Jamie Donaldson and Jimmy Walker of the USA during the first two rounds of the competition . US Open champion Martin Kaymer is in the group behind world No 1 McIlroy, with Brandt Snedeker and Houston Open winner JB Holmes. McIlroy and Mickelson were among the players battling for the US PGA title in near-darkness at Valhalla last year, with Mickelson and Rickie Fowler stepping aside on the 18th to allow the final group of McIlroy and Bernd Wiesberger to tee off and beat the fading light. With 98 players in the field, Charley Hoffman and Brian Harman make up the first group out in the tournament proper at 12.45pm (7:45am local time), with Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus again acting as honorary starters five minutes earlier, the legendary duo hitting tee shots on the par-four first before retiring to the clubhouse while Arnold Palmer takes up a similar role but is unable to tee off as he is recovering from a dislocated shoulder. England's Danny Willett will begin his Masters debut in the second group at 12:56pm alongside 1987 winner Larry Mize and US amateur public links champion Byron Meth. Woods faces a lengthy wait before he can begin his bid for a fifth Masters title after being drawn in the penultimate group for the opening round. The American superstar has started just two events in 2015, carding a career-worst 82 to miss the cut in the first and withdrawing through injury after 11 holes of the second, but said he was ready to 'compete to win a golf tournament' after 11 holes of practice on Monday. The final group tees off at 1:59pm and features three players ranked in the top 13 in the world, Australia's Jason Day, Spain's Sergio Garcia and Fowler. Fowler finished in the top five in all four majors last year.
target: The 79th Masters Tournament starts on Thursday at Augusta National .
  Rory McIlroy tees off his bid for a Grand Slam alongside Phil Mickelson .
  Tiger Woods returns to action and plays in group with Jamie Donaldson .