The Open: Woods out late on day one at Carnoustie
By Keith Jackson at Carnoustie
Last Updated: 16/07/18 9:50pm
Tiger Woods is among the late starters for Thursday's first round of The 147th Open as he returns to the tournament for the first time since 2015.
Woods will play the opening two rounds alongside Japanese ace Hideki Matsuyama and the in-form Russell Knox, with the star trio heading to the first tee at Carnoustie at 3:21pm and only five groups behind them.
The Open: Full first round tee times
Sandy Lyle, the 1985 champion, will strike the first tee shot at 6:35am closely followed by Ryder Cup stars Martin Kaymer and Andy Sullivan, and you can watch the opening blows live on Sky Sports The Open.
Defending champion Jordan Spieth heads out at 9:58am alongside world No 3 Justin Rose and Kiradech Aphibarnrat, and game 19 will be followed by the exciting pairing of Rickie Fowler and Jon Rahm, who have been grouped with England's Chris Wood.
Rory McIlroy's bid for a second Open title, and his first major win since the PGA Championship in 2014, gets underway at 12:53pm as the Northern Irishman accompanies Marc Leishman and possible Ryder Cup team-mate Thorbjorn Olesen.
McIlroy will arrive on the tee two groups behind 2016 winner Henrik Stenson, who plays alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Jimmy Walker, while world No 1 Dustin Johnson will strike his opening blow at 1:04pm.
Johnson has not played competitively since finishing third in the US Open at Shinnecock Hills last month, and the 34-year-old will enjoy the company of Alex Noren and compatriot Charley Hoffman.
World No 2 Justin Thomas also has an intriguing group alongside the red-hot Italian Francesco Molinari, who arrives at Carnoustie in remarkable form having won twice and posted two runner-up finishes in his last five starts worldwide.
Padraig Harrington, the last man to win The Open at Carnoustie in 2007, goes out with Bubba Watson before the attention turns to Woods in game No 47.
Woods has not featured in the championship since missing the halfway cut at St Andrews three years ago, and he will be keen to atone for his early exit at Shinnecock Hills on the 10th anniversary of his 14th - and most recent - major victory.
