Golf: Pyman shares stage with Palmer: Amateur champion in Augusta spotlight as past masters set ball rolling

THE British amateur champion, Iain Pyman, has been paired with the legendary Arnold Palmer in tomorrow's first round of the US Masters in Augusta.

The 21-year-old from Leeds, who has been suffering from toothache, is the first of the 13 Europeans in action but even he will have to wait for two hours after the honorary starters, the illustrious trio of venerable past masters Gene Sarazen (92), Sam Snead (82) and Byron Nelson (82), have teed off.

Most of the overseas challengers are out late in the day, with Ian Woosnam partnering John Daly, just as he did in the first two rounds of the Open at Sandwich last year, and Nick Faldo playing with Dan Forsman, the American who was in contention at Augusta last year until taking a quadruple-bogey seven on the short 12th on the final day.

The reigning champion, Bernhard Langer, plays with the American amateur, John Harris, while the favourite, the Open champion Greg Norman, is one of the last starters of all - he plays with Payne Stewart - and aims to keep it that way all week. Unlike the other three majors, the leaders go out last from the second round onwards.

(BST, US unless stated)

1.15pm G Sarazen, B Nelson, S Snead; 1.30 T Aaron, G Brewer; 1.38 B Casper, D Ford; 1.46 D Hart, F Funk; 1.54 G Morgan, J McGovern; 2.02 H Irwin, J Miller; 2.10 J Inman, B Estes; 2.18 N Henke, B Mayfair; 2.26 C Coody, *J Thomas; 2.34 B Glasson, M Calcavecchia; 2.42 H Twitty, J Adams; 2.50 M O'Meara, B McCallister; 2.58 R Fehr, M Standly; 3.06 C Strange, J Haas; 3.14 A Palmer, *I Pyman (GB); 3.22 D Frost (SA), A Magee; 3.30 I Baker-Finch (Aus), C Pavin; 3.46 B Crenshaw, S Elkington (Aus); 3.54 R Cochran, E Els (SA); 4.02 G Player (SA), *D Ellis; 4.10 J Gallagher Jnr, F Allem (SA); 4.18 S Lyle (GB), S Hoch; 4.26 L Wadkins, B Ogle (Aus); 4.34 J Maggert, G Waite (NZ); 4.42 J Huston, T Lehman; 4.50 S Simpson, B Lane (GB); 4.58 R Floyd, S Ballesteros (Sp); 5.06 I Woosnam (GB), J Daly; 5.22 L Janzen, C Parry (Aus); 5.30 J Nicklaus, W Grady (Aus); 5.38 B Faxon, V Singh (Fiji); 5.46 N Faldo (GB), D Forsman; 5.54 N Price (Zim), C Beck; 6.02 B Langer (Ger), *J Harris; 6.10 P Baker (GB), D Love; 6.18 T Watson, M Ozaki (Japan); 6.26 L Mize, J-M Olazabal (Sp); 6.34 T Kite, S Torrance (GB); 6.42 F Zoeller, H Meshiai (Japan); 6.50 G Norman (Aus), P Stewart; 7.06 J Cook, A Forsbrand (Swe); 7.14 J Sluman, C Montgomerie (GB); 7.22 C Stadler, C Rocca (It); 7.30 D Edwards, L Roberts.* denotes amateur