Rory McIlroy tossed a golf ball to a child at the 2016 Players Championship and that kid, US Amateur champion Mason Howell, will play alongside McIlroy to start the 90th Masters.
Defending champion McIlroy, a 36-year-old five-time major winner from Northern Ireland, will join 18-year-old Howell from nearby Thomasville and American Cameron Young off the first tee at 10:31 a.m. (1431 GMT) Thursday.
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