There will be plenty of intrigue surrounding the marquee grouping at next week’s U.S. Open.
Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott will play together for the opening two rounds at the year’s second major at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.
It is the third straight year that the USGA has put the top three players in the world ranking in the same group. It also features the past two major champions (this year’s Masters winner Scott and reigning PGA champion McIlroy).
It will be the first time Woods and McIlroy have played together in any round of a major tournament, but the bigger storyline may be that Tiger is playing alongside Scott. The Aussie, currently the world No. 3, is caddied by Steve Williams, who was Woods’ longtime caddy before being fired by the 14-time major winner.
Between Woods, McIlroy and Scott, the grouping features a career total of 17 major victories.
The USGA revealed the group in a tweet, and McIlroy immediately responded on Twitter.
The group is scheduled to tee off on the first hole next Thursday at 1:14 p.m. ET for round one and starting on the 11th tee at 7:44. a.m. ET Friday for the second round.
Woods, Scott and Phil Mickelson played together the opening two days at Torrey Pines in the 2008 U.S. Open. That was the first time the USGA went to the 1-2-3 grouping.
Woods and McIlroy have played in the opening two rounds together at five previous tournaments — twice in Abu Dhabi, the Cadillac Championship at Doral this year (won by Woods), the BMW Championship last year (won by McIlroy) and The Barclays last year.
Playing in front of the marquee threesome will be former U.S. Open champions Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell, and former Masters champion Zach Johnson.
Mickelson is on the other side of the draw — starting Thursday morning on the 11th hole, Friday afternoon on the first hole. Mickelson, with a record five runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open, is joined by Steve Stricker and Keegan Bradley, his partner from the last Ryder Cup.
In front of that group will be the power trio of Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson and Nicolas Colsaerts.
For those wanting to see Woods and Sergio Garcia mix it up again, that won’t happen, at least for the weekday rounds. Garcia might not be thrilled with his tee, however, because he’s playing with Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink. Garcia and Harrington, despite being Ryder Cup teammates, are not terribly close. Harrington beat the Spaniard in a playoff at Carnoustie to win his first major in the 2007 British Open, and the Irishman beat him again a year later in the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills.
Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer are in another group, just as they were two years ago at Congressional.
NOTES: The draw features three Canadians: David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., Adam Hadwin of Moose Jaw, Sask., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont., is the first alternate; he will get into the field if there is a withdrawal.
— With files from THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
