Former Open Champions, Tiger Woods and Louis Oosthuizen along with past US Open winner, Graeme McDowell have been grouped together for the opening two rounds of this year’s 142nd Open Championship.

The trio will tee off at 2.45pm Thursday (local UK time) and then commence their second rounds at 9.44am Friday.

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy will begin his quest for golf’s oldest major at 9.33am Thursday ahead of teeing up at 2.45pm Friday.

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy signs autographs for fans on the first day of official practice for the 142nd Open. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

Joining the double Major winning McIlroy will be Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and American Phil Mickelson who moved from No. 8 in the world to No. 5 following his Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open victory at Castle Stuart.

Masters champion  Adam Scott will play the first two rounds alongside American Matt Kuchar and former World No. 1 Luke Donald.

And in one of the more exciting three-balls the big-hitting trio of Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson and Nicolas Colsaerts will play alongside each other.

The Belgium-born Colsaerts had played the first two rounds of last month’s US Open alongside Johnson.

In other three-ball encounters the trio of Nick Faldo, Tom Watson and Fred Couples have been grouped together.

Australia’s Peter Senior has the distinction of leading out the 142nd Open field teeing up at 6.32am Thursdayl