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Southport - World number one Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy will play together in the first two rounds of the British Open at Royal Birkdale, it was announced Monday.
Johnson and McIlroy will play together with former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa in a group that will start their opening round at 14:48 on Thursday.
The trio will then tee off at 09:47 on Friday on the links in the town of Southport, just north of Liverpool on the north-west coast of England.
McIlroy won the Open not far from Birkdale at Hoylake in 2014 but comes into this year's championship in poor form, having missed the cut at both the Irish Open and the Scottish Open in the last two weeks.
The world number four also missed the cut at the US Open, as did Johnson, who has not played since then.
World number two Hideki Matsuyama of Japan is in a group with US Open champion Brooks Koepka and Southport native Tommy Fleetwood, ranked 14th in the world and one of the form players on the tour at the moment.
They will go out at 10:09 for Thursday's first round.
World number three Jordan Spieth of the United States and last year's Open champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden will play together alongside Kim Si-Woo of South Korea in the first two rounds, teeing off at 09:47 on Thursday.
Another group sure to attract the galleries will be the trio of Masters champion Sergio Garcia, world number six Jason Day of Australia and 2015 Open champion Zach Johnson.
Mark O'Meara, who won The Open at Birkdale in 1998 and is now 60, will have the honour of starting off the tournament when he tees off at 06:35 on Thursday.
Tee times and groupings for the first round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale on Thursday (GBR or IRL unless stated; a-denotes amateurs):
All times SA
1st round, Thursday, July 20
07:35 - Mark O'Meara (USA), Chris Wood, Ryan Moore (USA)
07:46 - Phachara Khongwatmai (THA), a-Maverick McNealy (USA), Stuart Manley
07:57 - Stewart Cink (USA), Sandy Lyle, Wang Jeung-Hun (KOR)
08:08 - Paul Broadhurst, Thongchai Jaidee (THA), Roberto Castro (USA)
08:19 - Tom Lehman (USA), An Byeong-Hun (KOR), Darren Fichardt (RSA)
08:30 - Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Billy Horschel (USA), Danny Willett
08:41 - Matthew Fitzpatrick, Steve Stricker (USA), Emiliano Grillo (ARG)
08:52 - Jason Dufner (USA), Branden Grace (RSA), Bryson DeChambeau (USA)
09:03 - Russell Knox, Alex Noren (SWE), Ian Poulter
09:14 - David Duval (USA), Prayad Marksaeng (THA), K.T. Kim (KOR)
09:25 - Song Young-Han (KOR), David Horsey, Dylan Frittelli (RSA)
09:36 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA), Charles Howell III (USA), Shiv Kapur (IND)
09:47 - Russell Henley (USA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Peter Uihlein (USA)
10:03 - Brendan Steele (USA), Alexander Levy (FRA), Webb Simpson (USA)
10:14 - Wesley Bryan (USA), Anirban Lahiri (IND), a-Alfie Plant
10:25 - Darren Clarke, Gary Woodland (USA), a-Harry Ellis
10:36 - Pat Perez (USA), Padraig Harrington, Thomas Pieters (BEL)
10:47 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Kim Si-Woo (KOR), Jordan Spieth (USA)
10:58 - Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Justin Thomas (USA)
11:09 - Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Brooks Koepka (USA), Tommy Fleetwood
11:20 - J.B. Holmes (USA), Brandt Snedeker (USA), Shane Lowry
11:31 - Shaun Norris (RSA), Richard Bland, a-Luca Cianchetti (ITA)
11:42 - Chang Yi-Keun (KOR), Chan Kim (USA), Mark Foster
11:53 - Kang Sung-hoon (KOR), Tony Finau (USA), Matthieu Pavon (FRA)
12:04 - Alexander Bjork (SWE), Joseph Dean, Robert Streb (USA)
12:15 - Julian Suri (USA), Robert Dinwiddie, Adam Hodkinson
12:36 - Adam Hadwin (CAN), Andrew Johnston, Todd Hamilton (USA)
12:47 - John Daly (USA), Adam Bland (AUS), a-Connor Syme
12:58 - William McGirt (USA), Toby Tree, Jamie Lovemark (USA)
13:09 - Austin Connelly (CAN), Matthew Griffin (AUS), Matthew Southgate
13:20 - Cameron Smith (AUS), Bill Haas (USA), Callum Shinkwin
13:31 - Brian Harman (USA), Michael Hendry (NZL), Martin Laird
13:42 - Ross Fisher, Ernie Els (RSA), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)
13:53 - Tyrrell Hatton, Martin Kaymer (GER), Aaron Baddeley (AUS)
14:04 - Jason Day (AUS), Zach Johnson (USA), Sergio Garcia (ESP)
14:15 - Andy Sullivan, Joost Luiten (NED), David Lipsky (USA)
14:26 - Rickie Fowler (USA), Adam Scott (AUS), Paul Casey
14:37 - Matt Kuchar (USA), Richie Ramsay, Ryan Fox (NZL)
14:48 - Charley Hoffman (USA), Kevin Kisner (USA), David Drysdale
15:04 - Hideto Tanihara (JPN), Jimmy Walker (USA), Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN)
15:15 - Jhonattan Vegas (VEN), Brandon Stone (RSA), Sean O'Hair (USA)
15:26 - Pablo Larrazabal (ESP), Daniel Berger (USA), Yuta Ikeda (JPN)
15:37 - Paul Lawrie, Kevin Chappell (USA), Yusaku Miyazato (JPN)
15:48 - Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson (USA), Charl Schwartzel (RSA)
15:59 - Jon Rahm (ESP), Patrick Reed (USA), Lee Westwood
16:10 - Phil Mickelson (USA), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Marc Leishman (AUS)
16:21 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Scott Hend (AUS), Bubba Watson (USA)
16:32 - Paul Waring, Kyle Stanley (USA), Kevin Na (USA)
16:43 - Xander Schauffele (USA), Kim Gi-Whan (KOR), Andrew Dodt (AUS)
16:54 - Li Haotong (CHN), Kent Bulle (USA), Haydn McCullen
17:05 - Jbe Kruger (RSA), Nick McCarthy, Ashley Hall (AUS)
17:16 - Ryan McCarthy (AUS), Laurie Canter, Sebastian Munoz (COL)
2nd round, Friday, July 21
07:35 - Adam Hadwin (CAN), Andrew Johnston, Todd Hamilton (USA)
07:46 - John Daly (USA), Adam Bland (AUS), a-Connor Syme
07:57 - William McGirt (USA), Toby Tree, Jamie Lovemark (USA)
08:08 - Austin Connelly (CAN), Matthew Griffin (AUS), Matthew Southgate
08:19 - Cameron Smith (AUS), Bill Haas (USA), Callum Shinkwin
08:30 - Brian Harman (USA), Michael Hendry (NZL), Martin Laird
08:41 - Ross Fisher, Ernie Els (RSA), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)
08:52 - Tyrrell Hatton, Martin Kaymer (GER), Aaron Baddeley (AUS)
09:03 - Jason Day (AUS), Zach Johnson (USA), Sergio Garcia (ESP)
09:14 - Andy Sullivan, Joost Luiten (NED), David Lipsky (USA)
09:25 - Rickie Fowler (USA), Adam Scott (AUS), Paul Casey
09:36 - Matt Kuchar (USA), Richie Ramsay, Ryan Fox (NZL)
09:47 - Kevin Kisner (USA), Charley Hoffman (USA), David Drysdale
10:03 - Hideto Tanihara (JPN), Jimmy Walker (USA), Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN)
10:14 - Jhonattan Vegas (VEN), Brandon Stone (RSA), Sean O'Hair (USA)
10:25 - Daniel Berger (USA), Pablo Larrazabal (ESP), Yuta Ikeda (JPN)
10:36 - Kevin Chappell (USA), Paul Lawrie, Yusaku Miyazato (JPN)
10:47 - Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson (USA), Charl Schwartzel (RSA)
10:58 - Patrick Reed (USA), Jon Rahm (ESP), Lee Westwood
11:09 - Francesco Molinari (ITA), Phil Mickelson (USA), Marc Leishman (AUS)
11:20 - Scott Hend (AUS), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Bubba Watson (USA)
11:31 - Kyle Stanley (USA), Paul Waring, Kevin Na (USA)
11:42 - Kim Gi-Whan (KOR), Xander Schauffele (USA), Andrew Dodt (AUS)
11:53 - Li Haotong (CHN), Kent Bulle (USA), Haydn McCullen
12:04 - Jbe Kruger (RSA), Nick McCarthy, Ashley Hall (AUS)
12:15 - Laurie Canter, Ryan McCarthy (AUS), Sebastian Munoz (COL)
12:36 - Chris Wood, Mark O'Meara (USA), Ryan Moore (USA)
12:47 - Phachara Khongwatmai (THA), a-Maverick McNealy (USA), Stuart Manley
12:58 - Stewart Cink (USA), Sandy Lyle, Wang Jeung-Hun (KOR)
13:09 - Thongchai Jaidee (THA), Paul Broadhurst, Roberto Castro (USA)
13:20 - Tom Lehman (USA), An Byeong-Hun (KOR), Darren Fichardt (RSA)
13:31 - Billy Horschel (USA), Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Danny Willett
13:42 - Steve Stricker (USA), Matthew Fitzpatrick, Emiliano Grillo (ARG)
13:53 - Jason Dufner (USA), Branden Grace (RSA), Bryson DeChambeau (USA)
14:04 - Russell Knox, Alex Noren (SWE), Ian Poulter
14:15 - David Duval (USA), Prayad Marksaeng (THA), K.T. Kim (KOR)
14:26 - Song Young-Han (KOR), David Horsey, Dylan Frittelli (RSA)
14:37 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA), Charles Howell III (USA), Shiv Kapur (IND)
14:48 - Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Russell Henley (USA), Peter Uihlein (USA)
15:04 - Brendan Steele (USA), Alexander Levy (FRA), Webb Simpson (USA)
15:15 - Wesley Bryan (USA), Anirban Lahiri (IND), a-Alfie Plant
15:26 - Gary Woodland (USA), Darren Clarke, a-Harry Ellis
15:37 - Padraig Harrington, Pat Perez (USA), Thomas Pieters (BEL)
15:48 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Kim Si-Woo (KOR), Jordan Spieth (USA)
15:59 - Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Justin Rose, Justin Thomas (USA)
16:10 - Brooks Koepka (USA), Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Tommy Fleetwood
16:21 - Brandt Snedeker (USA), J.B. Holmes (USA), Shane Lowry
16:32 - Richard Bland, Shaun Norris (RSA), a-Luca Cianchetti (ITA)
16:43 - Chan Kim (USA), Chang Yi-Keun (KOR), Mark Foster
16:54 - Kang Sung-Hoon (KOR), Tony Finau (USA), Matthieu Pavon (FRA)
17:05 - Alexander Bjork (SWE), Joseph Dean, Robert Streb (USA)
17:16 - Robert Dinwiddie, Julian Suri (USA), Adam Hodkinson
