New York - In a grouping that will have SA golf fans sitting up and taking notice, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Phil Mickelson will play together for the first two rounds of the US Open at Bethpage Black in New York next week.
  
Mickelson, who turns 39 on Tuesday, is playing this week in preparation for the US Open, after which he will then return to his indefinite break from the PGA Tour to be with wife Amy as she fights breast cancer.

Mickelson is trying to win his first US Open triumph after finishing second four times, including at Bethpage to Tiger Woods seven years ago.

The two South Africans are both two-time champions.

Golf's reigning major champions - world number one Woods, Padraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera - will play in the same group for the first two rounds.

Defending champion Woods, who limped his way to a playoff triumph last year at Torrey Pines before undergoing left knee surgery and taking an eight-month layoff, won last week's Memorial, ensuring the US star would be favoured here.

Ireland's Harrington won last year's British Open and PGA Championship while Argentina's Cabrera won the Masters in a playoff two months ago.

Groupings for the first two rounds of the 2009 US Open at Bethpage Black, New York:

All times South African.
SA golfers highlighted in bold.

Thursday: first hole; Friday: 10th hole

1300-1830 - a-Rickie Fowler, Casey Wittenberg, Bo Van Pelt
1311-1841 - a-Drew Weaver; Angelo Que, Philippines; Simon Khan, England
1322-1852 - David Horsey, England; John Mallinger; Jose Manuel Lara, Spain
1333-1903 - Rory Sabbatini, South Africa; Martin Kaymer, Germany; Ryuji Imada, Japan
1344-1914 - Vijay Singh, Fiji; Jeev Milkha Singh, India; KJ Choi, South Korea
1355-1925 - Ian Poulter, England; Justin Leonard; Robert Allenby, Australia
1406-1936 - Padraig Harrington, Ireland; Angel Cabrera, Argentina; Tiger Woods
1417-1947 - Ryan Moore, Ben Crane, Eric Axley
1428-1958 - Lee Westwood, England; Zach Johnson; Shingo Katayama, Japan
1439-2009 - Bubba Watson; Johan Edfors, Sweden; John Merrick
1450-2020 - Francesco Molinari, Italy; George McNeill; Simon Dyson, England
1501-2031 - a-Cameron Tringale, Sean Farren, Andrew Parr, Canada
1612-2042 - a-Vaughn Snyder, Ryan Spears, Michael Miles
1830-1300 - James Nitties, Australia; Peter Tomasulo; Martin Laird, Scotland
1841-1311 - David Smail, New Zealand; Cameron Beckman; Steve Allan, Australia
1852-1322 - JJ Henry; Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Spain; Briny Baird
1903-1333 - a-Kyle Stanley, Lucas Glover,DJ Trahan
1914-1344 - J B Holmes; Alvaro Quiros, Spain; Nick Watney
1925-1355 - Sergio Garcia, Spain; Camilo Villegas, Colombia; Adam Scott, Australia
1936-1406 - Justin Rose, England; Sean O'Hair; Ross Fisher, England
1947-1417 - Rocco Mediate, Kenny Perry, Tom Lehman
1958-1428 - Hunter Mahan; Oliver Wilson, England; Brandt Snedeker
2009-1439 - Billy Mayfair, Matt Kuchar, Ricky Barnes
2020-1450 - Darron Stiles; Shintaro Kai, Japan; Matthew Jones, Australia.
2031-1501 - a-Tyson Alexander, Charlie Beljan, Ryan Blaum
2042-1512 - a-Matt Nagy, Shawn Stefani, Douglas Batty, New Zealand

Thursday: 10th hole; Friday: first hole

1300-1830 - JP Hayes, Greg Kraft, Jeff Brehaut
1311-1841 - a-Drew Kittleson; Sangmoon Bae, South Korea; Michael Sim, Australia
1321-1852 - Heath Slocum; Charlie Wi, South Korea; Richard Bland, England
1333-1903 - Ben Curtis; Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland; Chad Campbell
1344-1914 - Henrik Stenson, Sweden; Robert Karlsson, Sweden; Steve Stricker
1355-1925 - Geoff Ogilvy, Australia; Jim Furyk; Paul Casey, England
1406-1936 - Luke Donald, England; Trevor Immelman, South Africa; Tim Clark, South Africa
1417-1947 - Andres Romero, Argentina; Eduardo Romero, Argentina; Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain
1428-1958 - Michael Campbell, New Zealand; Boo Weekley; Rod Pampling, Australia
1439-2009 - Kevin Sutherland, Dudley Hart, Ken Duke
1450-2020 - a-Bronson Burgoon, Craig Bowden, Chris Kirk
1501-2031 - a-Ben Martin, Josh McCumber, Kevin Silva
1512-2042 - a-Josh Brock, Trevor Murphy, Nathan Tyler
1830-1300 - Matt Bettencourt; James Kamte, South Africa; Kaname Yokoo, Japan
1841-1311 - a-Nick Taylor, Canada; Scott Gutschewski, Gary Woodland
1852-1322 - Carl Pettersson, Sweden; Azuma Yano, Japan; Charl Schwartzel, South Africa
1903-1333 - David Duval, David Toms; Darren Clarke, Northern Ireland
1914-1344 - Anthony Kim; Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland; Dustin Johnson
1925-1355 - Soren Kjeldsen, Denmark; Soren Hansen, Denmark; Peter Hanson, Sweden
1936-1406 - Retief Goosen, South Africa; Ernie Els, South Africa; Phil Mickelson
1947-1417 - Stuart Appleby, Australia; Fred Funk, Todd Hamilton
1958-1428 - Mike Weir, Canada; Stephen Ames, Canada; Stewart Cink
2009-1439 - Thomas Levet, France; Jean-Francois Lucquin, France; Raphael Jacquelin, France
2020-1450 - Andrew McLardy, South Africa; Chris Stroud, To be determined
2031-1501 - a-Clark Klaasen, Colby Beckstrom, Cameron Yancey
2042-1512 - a-Kyle Peterman, Michael Welch, Cortland Lowe