Paramus, New Jersey …

For a second time this season European No. 1 Tommy Fleetwood finds himself grouped with former long-time World No.  1 Tiger Woods.

The duo, and along with Aussie Marc Leishman, have been grouped together for the opening two rounds of Thursday’s starting Northern Trust Open and the first of the four FedEx Cup Play-Off Series events being staged on the Ridgewood Country Club course in Paramus, New Jersey.

For a second occasion this year Tiger Woods, Marc Leishman and Tommy Fleetwood will tee-up alongside each other for the opening two rounds of the Northern Trust Open.

Strangely, it is the second time this year the trio find themselves grouped together as they were out alongside each other for the first two days of the Masters and with Leishman finishing in front with scores of 70 and 67 while Fleetwood signed for a pair of 72s and Woods struggling under the weight of a 73 and 75.

However, this week’s draw for the $US 9m event has been based the 120 players current FedEx Cup standing with Woods currently ranked 20th, Leishman 22nd and Fleetwood 23rd, and with the present No. 21 ranked Rory McIlroy electing not to tee-up.

Fleetwood spoke at Augusta National of his excitement in being grouped with Woods for a first time in the Englishman’s career.

“The first real Masters I watched was 1997, when he won his first. A few years on and I get to play with him and I don’t think you can get a better draw than Tiger at the Masters,” Fleetwood said.

“It’s just brilliant to be grouped with him.”

The current World No. 11 ranked Fleetwood is contesting the ultra-lucrative Play-Off Series for a first time in his career whereas Woods has not teed-up in the Series since 2013.

Justin Rose, and fourth on the FedEx Cup table, is out on Thursday alongside the respective No. 5 and No. 6 ranked Bubba Watson and Jason Day.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, and also the present top of the FedEx Cup standings, will be joined by No. 2 Justin Thomas and triple Major winning, Brooks Koepka.