Choi, Kuchar paired with Tiger to start event

AUGUSTA, Georgia - Tiger Woods will have an afternoon tee time alongside South Korean K.J. Choi and fellow American Matt Kuchar in Thursday's opening round of the Masters, officials announced on Tuesday.

Woods, playing competitively for the first time in nearly five months in the wake of a sex scandal, will start in the penultimate of 32 trios off the first tee at famed Augusta National Golf Club at 1:42 pm (1742 GMT).

"It's a good surprise," Choi said. "It's funny. I sort of had a feeling that it would be cool if I was paired with Tiger and it happened.