The Open Championship has unveiled its opening and second-round tee times, placing golf's top stars, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, into highly anticipated groups at Royal Birkdale.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will play alongside Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton for the first two rounds. This pairing comes shortly after Scheffler missed the cut at the Scottish Open, breaking a streak of 78 consecutive made cuts. DeChambeau, meanwhile, has struggled in majors this year, missing the cut at the Masters, PGA Championship, and U.S. Open, a first for him in three consecutive majors. The trio is scheduled to tee off at 9:58 a.m. local time on Thursday.
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Six-time major champion Rory McIlroy is grouped with 2024 PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele and 2022 U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick. McIlroy, who has been in strong form this season with a win at the Masters and four other top-10 finishes, will be looking to add a second Claret Jug to his collection. This group is set to begin play at 3:15 p.m. local time on Thursday.
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Other notable pairings include Chris Gotterup, who is tied for the PGA Tour lead with three wins in 2026, playing with Sam Burns and Adam Scott. Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka is grouped with former Open Champion Shane Lowry and reigning PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai. Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, and Jordan Spieth form another strong trio, while Justin Thomas, Alex Noren, and Jason Day bring considerable experience to their grouping.
Wyndham Clark, fresh off his second U.S. Open title, will play alongside Cameron Young and Ludvig Aberg. Royal Birkdale is hosting The Open for the first time since 2017, and favorable weather is expected for the opening rounds, promising an immediate showcase of many of the tournament favorites.
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