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Sandwich - Rory McIlroy will begin his quest to add the British Open title to his US Open crown in the company of multiple major winner Ernie Els and rising American star Rickie Fowler.
The trio will tee off in Thursday's first round at 9:09am local time at the Royal St George's Course in Sandwich, south-east of London, where the 22-year-old McIlroy will aim to be become the youngest winner of the British Open since 1893.
South Africa's Els will be bidding to add to his 2002 British Open title with Fowler seeking his first Major triumph.
McIlroy, whose win at the Bethesda course in Maryland in June made him the youngest US Open champion since American great Bobby Jones in 1923, enjoyed a stellar start to last year's British Open at St Andrews, shooting a record-equalling 63 and finishing third despite a second round of 80 in bad weather on the Scottish course.
The Northern Ireland youngster has not played a competitive round of golf since winning the US Open.
This year's British Open will be started by American Jerry Kelly, who is due to hit the first shot at 6:30am local time.
He will hope to avoid a repeat of his performance in taking 11 on the opening hole when the British Open - the only one of golf's four Majors played outside the United States - was last staged at Royal St George's in 2003.
Other eye-catching groups see world No 1 Luke Donald - fresh from his victory in the rain-shortened Scottish Open on Sunday - immediately after McIlroy, with the Englishman alongside Japan's Ryo Ishikawa and Sergio Garcia.
Defending champion Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa is an afternoon starter in a group featuring Germany's Martin Kaymer and American ace Phil Mickelson.
Immediately ahead of Oosthuizen will be his compatriot and US Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.
Meanwhile, British amateur Tom Lewis, from the same Welwyn Garden City club that nurtured three-time British Open winner Nick Faldo, will be alongside five-time champion Tom Watson and Sweden's Henrik Stenson.
Singapore's Lam Chih-Bing is the last man due to tee-off Thursday at 4:11pm.
