The 149th Open: Shane Lowry grouped with Jon Rahm and Louis Oosthuizen for first two rounds
Richard Bland to hit the opening tee shot at 6.35am on Thursday morning; Bryson DeChambeau among early starters alongside Jordan Spieth, while Rory McIlroy is out in the afternoon with Cameron Smith and Patrick Reed
By Ali Stafford at Royal St George's
Last Updated: 13/07/21 5:39pm
Reigning champion Shane Lowry has been grouped alongside world No 2 Jon Rahm and former major winner Louis Oosthuizen for the first two rounds at The 149th Open.
Lowry, who claimed his breakthrough major title with a stunning six-shot victory at Royal Portrush in 2019, will begin his bid to become the first player to win back-to-back Open Championships since Padraig Harrington when he tees off at 9.58am on Thursday morning.
The Irishman is in a star-studded threeball with Rahm, who is chasing a second major win in as many months after his US Open success at Torrey Pines, while Oosthuizen completes the group having posted runner-up finishes in his previous two major starts.
Bryson DeChambeau has also been handed a morning start time alongside 2017 Champion Jordan Spieth and South Africa's Branden Grace, who carded the first 62 in major history during the same tournament, while world No 1 Dustin Johnson goes out with Justin Rose and Will Zalatoris.
British Masters champion Richard Bland will kick off this year's contest as part of an all-English threeball with Andy Sullivan and Marcus Armitage at 6.35am, with four-time major champion Brooks Koepka among the early starters as he tees off with Jason Kokrak and Garrick Higgo at 8.03am.
Rory McIlroy, searching for a first major victory since 2014, is out in the afternoon alongside Cameron Smith and 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed, with world No 3 Justin Thomas out in the previous group at 3.10pm with Tommy Fleetwood and former world No 1 Adam Scott.
Scotland's Robert MacIntyre has been put with American pair Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler, with 2013 champion Phil Mickelson - the oldest major winner in history after his victory at the PGA Championship - also in the afternoon wave alongside Tyrrell Hatton and Kevin Kisner.
2011 champion Darren Clarke, the most recent Open winner at Royal St George's, will tee off at 8.25am with Ryder Cup hopeful Bernd Wiesberger and amateur Joe Long, while Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington has Australian Brad Kennedy and qualifier Sam Forgan in his group.
Key tee times (all BST)
0803 Brooks Koepka, Jason Kokrak, Garrick Higgo
0925 Jordan Spieth, Bryson DeChambeau, Branden Grace
0958 Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm, Louis Oosthuizen
1020 Dustin Johnson, Will Zalatoris, Justin Rose
1448 Phil Mickelson, Tyrrell Hatton, Kevin Kisner
1459 Xander Schauffele, Robert MacIntyre, Rickie Fowler
1510 Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood, Adam Scott
1521 Rory McIlroy, Patrick Reed, Cameron Smith
Watch The 149th Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports' dedicated channel - Sky Sports The Open. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 6.30am on Sky Sports The Open.
