The USGA have released the tee times for rounds one and two of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst and the stand out threeball is undoubtedly that of Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele.
The trio, now occupying the top three spots in the world rankings, played alongside one another in the first two rounds at Augusta National back in April with Scheffler going on to collect his second Green Jacket, while Schauffele broke his major duck with an impressive victory at last month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla and overtook McIlroy to claim a career-high second placing in the OWGR.
McIlroy, of course, is without a major since winning his fourth in 2014, but has top-10 finishes in each of his last five U.S. Open appearances, including a runner-up finish at L.A. Country Club last year.
The marquee group will begin the tournament on the 1st tee on Thursday at 13:14 (18:14 Irish time), while much of the early morning interest will centre around Tiger Woods who joins Will Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick on the 10th tee at 07:29.
Shane Lowry will take his place alongside Keegan Bradley and 2014 tournament winner at Pinehurst, Martin Kaymer. They follow three groups behind McIlroy and co at 13:47, while Tom McKibbin will make his major championship debut in the company of Italian Matteo Manassero and Filipino Rico Hoey and one of them will have the honour of hitting the first tee shot of the tournament as they take to the tee at 06:45.
Seamus Power, the fourth and final Irishman in the field, starts in the group behind McKibbin and he is joined by South African Dean Burmester and Rikuya Hoshino from Japan.
As always, the defending champion plays with the reigning U.S. Amateur champion and the Open Championship winner, so Wyndham Clark, Nick Dunlap and Brian Harman will also be heavily featured in the group following McIlroy, Scheffler and Schauffele.
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