Saturday at Augusta National isn't just another day of golf. It's Moving Day. For fans trying to track the Saturday Masters tee times, the rhythm of the tournament shifts from the predictable morning/afternoon waves of the first two days into something much more intense. Basically, the field gets gutted. Only the top 50 players and ties make the cut, and they are re-paired based on their scores.
The leaders go last. That’s the rule.
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If you're looking for the specific Saturday Masters tee times, you won't find them until late Friday night or early Saturday morning. This is because the Masters Committee has to wait for every single player to sign their scorecard before they can mathematically determine the pairings. Usually, the first group off the tee starts around 10:00 AM ET, while the leaders don't even step onto the first tee until nearly 3:00 PM ET. It's a long wait.
How the Pairings Actually Work
Unlike the first two rounds where players are in groups of three, Saturday shifts to twosomes. This changes the entire vibe of the walk. It's quieter. More intimate. It’s just two guys, two caddies, and the weight of a Green Jacket.
The Masters follows a "reverse order of standing" format. If you barely made the cut at +4, you’re going out in the first group. If you’re leading at -9, you’re the final group. You've probably seen the chaos when a big name like Tiger Woods or Scottie Scheffler makes a late Friday charge; that shift determines exactly when you need to be on your couch on Saturday.
The gaps between groups are usually 10 or 11 minutes. This creates a slow-drip tension. By the time the leaders are hitting their approach shots on the 2nd hole, the middle of the pack is already navigating the treacherous turn at Amen Corner.
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Why the Late Start Matters for the Leaders
There is a massive psychological difference between a 10:30 AM start and a 2:40 PM start. Honestly, the guys at the top of the leaderboard have a lot of time to kill. They wake up, eat a slow breakfast, maybe hit the gym, and then spend hours watching the early starters post low scores on the broadcast.
It’s a mental grind.
Fred Couples once mentioned how the hardest part of Saturday isn't the golf—it's the waiting. You see someone five strokes back go 4-under through the first six holes, and suddenly that lead doesn't feel so safe. The Saturday Masters tee times essentially dictate how much pressure you have to sit with before you're allowed to actually swing a club.
Then there’s the grass.
By 3:00 PM, the greens at Augusta have been baked by the sun for hours. They get faster. They get crustier. They turn a specific shade of light green that looks beautiful on 4K TV but feels like putting on a marble floor to the players. The guys with the early Saturday Masters tee times get the "freshest" conditions, which is why we often see someone from the bottom of the leaderboard shoot a 66 and jump thirty spots before the leaders even tee off.
Weather Delays and the "Double Tee" Contingency
Augusta National is traditional, but they aren't stupid. If there's a threat of afternoon thunderstorms—which happens a lot in Georgia in April—they will scrap the traditional Saturday Masters tee times format.
Instead of going off the 1st tee in twosomes, they’ll use "split tees."
This means half the field starts on hole 1 and the other half starts on hole 10. They also switch back to threesomes to get everyone off the course faster. If you see a notification that tee times have been moved up to 8:00 AM, it usually means the weather radar looks ugly. This completely changes the strategy. A split-tee Saturday feels rushed. It lacks that slow build-up toward the final pairing, but it's the only way they keep the tournament on track for a Sunday finish.
Tracking the Schedule
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the official Masters website or the app. They are the only ones with the "official" data the second it's released. Usually, about an hour after the final putt drops on Friday, the list goes live.
- The Early Bird Groups: Typically 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM. These are the players who just made the cut.
- The Mid-Day Movers: 11:45 AM – 1:30 PM. This is where the dark horses live.
- The Feature Groups: 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM. Usually big names who are within 4-5 shots.
- The Leaders: 2:40 PM – 3:00 PM. The final two or three groups.
Actionable Advice for Saturday Viewers
Don't just wait for the leaders. The real magic of Moving Day happens in those middle Saturday Masters tee times.
- Check the 10th Hole: If there was a weather delay and they are using split tees, watch the groups starting on 10. They have to play Amen Corner (11, 12, and 13) almost immediately. It’s brutal.
- Monitor the Wind: Augusta’s wind usually picks up between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. This means the early starters have a significant scoring advantage. If someone at +2 tees off at 10:30 AM, they might post a 67 before the wind starts swirling in the pines.
- Use the "My Group" Feature: The Masters app allows you to follow specific players regardless of their tee time. If your favorite player has an early Saturday Masters tee time, you can watch every shot they hit even if the main TV broadcast hasn't started yet.
- Watch the Practice Range: About 45 minutes before a player's scheduled time, they’ll hit the range. This is the best time to see who looks loose and who looks like they’ve been overthinking their lead for five hours.
Saturday is about survival and positioning. By the time the final putt drops on the 18th green Saturday evening, we usually know who the three or four guys are who actually have a chance to win. The rest is just noise. Pay attention to those times; they tell you exactly who the tournament thinks is important.
Next Steps for the Masters Weekend
To get the most out of your Saturday, download the official Masters App on Friday evening and toggle notifications for "Tee Times." As soon as the cut line is finalized, you'll get a ping with the full list. Cross-reference these times with the local Augusta weather forecast; if you see a temperature drop or wind spike scheduled for 2:00 PM, bet on the early starters to make the biggest moves up the leaderboard. Prepare your viewing schedule around the 2:00 PM ET window, as that is when the broadcast usually transitions from featured hole coverage to the full leaders' path.