Two-time champion Adam Scott will start his quest at Huntingdale for a third Australian Masters title alongside two young guns of golf.
The 35-year-old former world No.1 has been grouped in Thursday's opening round with promising American Bryson DeChambeau and another 22-year-old in Australian Cameron Smith.
DeChambeau this year became the fifth golfer in history to win the American collegiate NCAA Division 1 Championship and the US Amateur title in the same year.
Other golfers to achieve the feat include Jack Nicklaus (1961), Phil Mickelson (1990), Tiger Woods (1996) and Ryan Moore (2004).
The trio will tee off on the back nine at 7.40am (AEDT).
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Of the other tournament favourites, Steven Bowditch, who has had a breakout US PGA season, will start at 12.05pm with Lucas Herbert and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts.
Exciting teen Ryan Ruffels will tee off alongside NSW Open champion Ben Eccles and Cheng-Tsung Pan from Taiwan.
