Holywood young gun gets star billing

RORY McILROY will get his bid for back-to-back major victories under way at Royal St George’s on Thursday in the company of a former champion and a fellow rising star.

The newly-minted US Open champion from Holywood has been given a 9.09am tee time for the first round of the 140th British Open Championship and has been drawn alongside 2002 winner and three-time runner-up Ernie Els and American Ryder Cupper Rickie Fowler.

The timing is significant in that it represents the star billing for the 22-year-old in a slot previously reserved for superstar Tiger Woods.

There will be later starts for the rest of the Irish contingent in Sandwich, Kent, this week with Darren Clarke teeing off his first round at 12.59pm, two-time British Open champion Pádraig Harrington off at 1.21pm and 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell going out 22 minutes later.

Harrington has been paired with world number seven Matt Kuchar of the United States and Australia’s 2011 British Amateur champion Bryden Macpherson, while McDowell’s group also includes an Australian, US Open and Masters runner-up Jason Day as well as American Bubba Watson.

World number one Luke Donald tees off directly after McIlroy at 9.20, having been drawn with Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa and Spain’s Sergio Garcia, while world number two Lee Westwood is out at 2.10pm on Thursday with number five Steve Stricker of the US and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa.

Irish groupings and tee times (2nd rd times in brackets): 9.09am (2.10pm) E Els (RSA), R McIlroy, R Fowler (USA). 12.59pm (7.58am) D Clarke, J Byrd (USA), YE Yang (Kor). 1.21pm (8.20am) B Macpherson (am, Aus), M Kuchar (USA), P Harrington. 1.43pm (8.42am) G McDowell, J Day (Aus), B Watson (USA).