Irish Open tee-times. McIlroy and McKibbin paired together

Shane Lowry has been drawn alongside Scotland’s Robert Macintyre and Ryan Fox of New Zealand.

CLUBMATES. Rory McIlroy, left, and Tom McKibbin on the practice range in advance of the 2023 Irish Open at The K Club. Picture. Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Irish golf’s main attraction and its rising star will play the first two rounds of the Amgen Irish Open together this week with Rory McIlroy and Tom McKibbin drawn together for Thursday and Friday’s play at Royal County Down.

DP World Tour Race to Dubai leader McIlroy and fellow clubman McKibbin, ranked 17th in the order of merit, will get their bids for national open glory underway from the first tee at the world-renowned links at 1pm on Thursday in the company of defending champion Vincent Norrman of Sweden.