McIlroy drawn with Rahm and Spieth in opening rounds of US PGA

Lowry, Harrington and McKibbin also in the field at Aronimink

Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm are drawn in the same group for the first two rounds of the US PGA at Aronimink. Picture: PA

Rory McIlroy will play alongside fellow multiple major champions Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth in the first two rounds of the US PGA Championship.

The Holywood man, bidding to win successive majors after his Masters triumph last month, will start his campaign on the back nine at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia at 8.40am local time (1.40pm IST) on Thursday.

Spieth is out to complete the career grand slam with victory here, his last major win coming at the 2017 Open Championship, while Rahm is looking to add this to his US Open and Masters titles.

Shane Lowry is among the later starters on Thursday, beginning on the first hole at 6:32pm alongside Ryder Cup teammate Viktor Hovland, and former US PGA winner Collin Morikawa.

Another former champion, Pádraig Harrington, begins his tournament at 1:24pm Irish time on Thursday with rising US star Maverick McNealy and Belgium's Thomas Detry,

The other Irish player in the field, Tom McKibbin, starts shortly before Harrington at 12:40pm Irish time on Thursday with US veteran Lucas Glover, and German PGA Tour player Stephan Jaeger.

England’s Alex Fitzpatrick, who secured his tour card with victory alongside brother Matt at the Zurich Classic last month, will be in the first group to tee off at 6.45am (11.45am IST).

World number one and defending champion Scottie Scheffler is in a stacked group alongside world number four Matt Fitzpatrick – who has three PGA Tour wins this season – and world number seven Justin Rose at 2.05pm (7.05pm IST).

Rose is a consistent major performer and is one of only two players in the field – alongside Keegan Bradley – to have won at Aronimink before.

British hopefuls Tommy Fleetwood and Robert MacIntyre are paired together, while 2024 champion Xander Schauffele plays alongside three-time winner Brooks Koepka and England’s Tyrrell Hatton.