Tiger Woods has been paired with Matt Kuchar and KJ Choi for the first two rounds of the Masters at Augusta.
They will form the 31st and penultimate grouping on Thursday with a late tee-time of 1842 BST, returning on Friday to start their second round at 1535.
World number one Woods, 34, has not played since November last year.
He has spent much of the intervening time hidden from the public gaze following a string of damaging revelations about his private life.
Woods has publicly apologised for cheating on his wife, Elin, who will not be with him at Augusta.
But the moment he announced three weeks ago that he was making his comeback in the Masters he was installed as favourite for a tournament he has won four times.
Woods faced both the fans and the press on Monday but is still trying to put his family life back together.
 | If I go out there and play how I can play then I'm not worried how loud or quiet the crowd are going to be Ian Poulter |
On Monday, he also denied he had ever used human growth hormone or performance-enhancing drugs and promised to give his "full co-operation" to the federal authorities investigating controversial doctor Anthony Galea.
Galea first treated Woods during his eight-month recovery from knee surgery in 2008-09, and again when he tore his Achilles tendon 16 months ago.
One of his adversaries over the opening two rounds at the Masters will be South Korea's Choi, a 39-year-old who is a seven-time winner on the PGA tour, having amassed nearly $21m in prize money.
The other is Florida-born Kuchar, who is in excellent form this year with four top-10 finishes. The 31-year-old has won more than $9m on the tour.
"I like playing with big crowds," said Choi. "It's funny, I sort of had a feeling that it would be cool if I was paired with Tiger and it happened. I like playing with big crowds. I will probably play more aggressive.
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"It's important that the gallery realise what's going on. To take what happened outside the golf course and bring it inside the golf course, I don't think that's right. I believe they're educated and will respect the game of golf."
Among those hoping to deny Woods a fairytale victory this week are Ireland's Padraig Harrington, a three-time major winner.
Harrington said: "I like to show form and be getting into contention before I get to any tournament, especially a major. I'm comfortable with my form. It's not too far away, my game is pretty strong. I ain't playing for second place."
He said it was important for players not to be distracted by the inevitable focus that will be directed towards Woods.
"Most players may react even worse if he gets on the leaderboard, they'll think 'oh, he's back stronger than ever'. A lot of people are trying to make out that players aren't going to put up on such a pedestal but I actually think if he comes back playing well players will think he's invincible."
Harrington is partnered with Open champion Stewart Cink and South African Charl Schwartzel.
 Harrington feels players may react poorly if Woods plays well |
The draw has not worked out particularly favourably for World Match Play champion Ian Poulter, but the Englishman is not concerned.
Poulter is in the group immediately ahead of Woods, and that is likely to mean having to deal with crowd distractions as fans try to get in position to see the American on his return to action.
"I didn't mind where I played," said Poulter, who is paired with world number two Steve Stricker and Japan's Yuta Ikeda.
"I've done enough homework this week to concentrate on my job and that's all I'm really worried about. If I go out there and play how I can play then I'm not worried how loud or quiet the crowd are going to be."
Meanwhile, double Masters champion Phil Mickelson has been drawn with Australian Robert Allenby and 2008 PGA Championship winner Yang Yong-eun of South Korea for the first two rounds.
And Mickelson, who has had a troubled relationship with Woods at times, said his compatriot's apology to his fellow players on Monday had been unnecessary.
"He doesn't owe me an apology," said Mickelson. "In the last 12 years he's done so much for the game of golf - I don't know if there's been an individual who has capitalised more on the opportunities that he's brought to the game of golf than myself. He doesn't owe me a thing."
In-form Ernie Els, who has triumphed twice in his last three PGA Tour appearances, will tee off with American Anthony Kim and Japan's Ryo Ishikawa two groups in front of Mickelson and company.
Revitalised Els ready for Masters
Argentina's Angel Cabrera, who won last year's Masters in a play-off with Americans Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry, will launch his title defence with South Korean An Byeong-hun and American veteran Jim Furyk.
Along with Poulter, Lee Westwood and Paul Casey saddle the burden of golfers desperate to end the 11-year drought of British players in major golf.
World number four Westwood plays with 2003 champion Mike Weir and Italian amateur Matteo Manassero, the 16-year-old who becomes the youngest competitor in Masters history.
Casey is in the following group with another Italian, Francesco Molinari, and American Chad Campbell.
First off at 1250, following ceremonial tee shots by golfing greats Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, will be Australian Nathan Green, American Heath Slocum and South African Louis Oosthuizen.
Watch Woods tee off in the Masters live on the BBC website and the red button
Masters tee times (US unless stated, all times BST, x = amateur):
1240 Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus (honorary starters)
1250 and 1557 Nathan Green (Aus), Heath Slocum, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa)
1301 and 1608 Craig Stadler, John Merrick, Jerry Kelly
1312 and 1619 Ian Woosnam (Gbr), Brian Gay, Marc Leishman (Aus)1323 and 1630 Bernhard Langer (Ger), Scott Verplank, (x) Brad Benjamin
1334 and 1641 John Senden (Aus), David Toms, Graeme McDowell (Gbr)
1345 and 1652 Mark O'Meara, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), (x) Nathan Smith
1356 and 1714 Martin Kaymer (Ger), Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Luke Donald (Gbr)
1407 and 1725 Tom Watson, Tim Clark (Rsa), Steve Marino
1418 and 1736 Bill Haas, Todd Hamilton, Anders Hansen (Den)
1429 and 1747 Dustin Johnson, Oliver Wilson (Gbr), Alvaro Quiros (Spa)
1440 and 1758 Mike Weir (Can), Lee Westwood (Gbr), (x) Matteo Manassero (Ita)
1502 and 1809 Chad Campbell, Francesco Molinari (Ita), Paul Casey (Gbr)
1513 and 1820 Ernie Els (Rsa), Anthony Kim, Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn)
1524 and 1831 Angel Cabrera (Arg), Jim Furyk, (x) Byeong-hun An (Kor)
1535 and 1842 Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby (Aus), Yong-eun Yang (Kor)
1546 and 1853 Retief Goosen (Rsa), Hunter Mahan, Robert Karlsson (Swe)
1557 and 1250 Ben Crane, Simon Dyson (Gbr), Michael Campbell (Nzl)
1608 and 1301 Larry Mize, Ryan Palmer, Chris Wood (Gbr)
1619 and 1312 Sandy Lyle (Gbr), Justin Leonard, Kevin Na
1630 and 1323 Ben Crenshaw, Steve Flesch, (x) Ben Martin
1641 and 1334 Ryan Moore, Ross Fisher (Gbr), Nick Watney
1652 and 1345 Trevor Immelman (Rsa), Soren Hansen (Den), John Rollins
1714 and 1356 Vijay Singh (Fij), Jason Dufner, Sean O'Hair
1725 and 1407 Thongchai Jaidee (Thai), Ben Curtis, Soren Kjeldsen (Den)
1736 and 1418 Camilo Villegas (Col), Kenny Perry, Rory McIlroy (Gbr)
1747 and 1429 Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson (Swe), (x) Chang-won Han (Kor)
1758 and 1440 Fred Couples, Sergio Garcia (Spa), Shingo Katayama (Jpn)
1809 and 1502 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Lucas Glover
1820 and 1513 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Stewart Cink, Padraig Harrington (Ire)
1831 and 1524 Yuta Ikeda (Jpn), Ian Poulter (Gbr), Steve Stricker
1842 and 1535 Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar, KJ Choi (Kor)
1853 and 1546 Adam Scott (Aus), David Duval, Ricky Barnes
