Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Masters champion Adam Scott will play together the opening two rounds of the U.S. Open next week at Merion in Ardmore, Pa.
For the third straight year, U.S. Open officials have put the top three players in the world ranking in the same group. The feature group will start at 1:14 p.m. Thursday off the first tee, and then 7:44 a.m. starting on the 11th tee Friday.
The U.S. Open disclosed the Nos. 1-2-3 group in a tweet, and McIlroy immediately responded on Twitter.
“Decent group for the first 2 rounds at Merion I see …” he tweeted.
This will be the first time Woods and McIlroy have played together in any round of a major.
Phil 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.
PGA Tour
Harris English shot a 6-under 64 yesterday to open a two-stroke lead in the St. Jude Classic at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn.
The 23-year-old former Georgia player had never even had a piece of a lead on the PGA Tour until Thursday when he found himself tied with five others.
Mickelson was 2 under after a 67.
LPGA Tour
In Pittsford, N.Y., Chella Choi shot a 5-under 67 to take a one-shot lead over Morgan Pressel after the first round of the rain-delayed LPGA Championship.
Champions Tour
In Birmingham, Ala., Duffy Waldorf shot a 4-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead over Jeff Sluman after the soggy, weather-delayed second round of the Regions Tradition.