The USGA has released the pairings and tee times for the opening two rounds of the 118th U.S. Open, and the marquee grouping will include three-time Open winner Tiger Woods alongside the two most recent world Nos. 1s in Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas.
Woods, who held the No. 1 ranking for a record 683 weeks, will be paired with current world No. 1 Dustin Johnson and No. 2 Justin Thomas on Thursday and Friday at Shinnecock Hills.
If there were a co-marquee pairing it would have to be the grouping of two of this decade’s U.S. Open champions in Rory McIlroy (2011) and Jordan Spieth (2015). The young superstars will play alongside five-time major winner Phil Mickelson, who is missing only a U.S. Open banner to complete the career grand slam.
The defending champ Brooks Koepka will be paired with two major winners in Bubba Watson (2012 and 2014 Masters) and Jason Day (2015 PGA), who each have two wins on the 2018 season.
Other interesting pairings include a trio of Englishmen in Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett, and Ian Poulter as well as three Spaniards in Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm, and Rafa Cabrera-Bello.
Another Englishman, Tommy Fleetwood, the reigning Race to Dubai champion, will join the two most recent winners of the European Tour’s PGA Championship: Italy’s Francesco Molinari and Alexander Noren of Sweden.
A trio of top-ranked Asians will play together as China’s Haotong Li will be paired with Korean Si Woo Kim and Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
However, the world’s best Asian player, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, will join Aussie Marc Leishman and newly-engaged Rickie Fowler. All three players are ranked inside the world top 20.
The reigning Masters champion, Patrick Reed, will tee it up with two other green jacket holders in Zach Johnson (2007) and Charl Schwartzel (2011).
THE SKINNY
Tournament: U.S. Open
Dates: June 14-17, 2018
Where: Southhampton, New York
Course: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
Distance: Par 70, 7,445 yd
Architect(s): William Flynn (1937), C.B. MacDonald (1901), Willie Dunn (1894), Willie Davis (1891)
Format: 72-holes, stroke play, 36-hole cut
Broadcast: FS1, FOX
Purse: $12,000,000
Winning Share: $2,00,000
Defending Champion: Brooks Koepka
RANKING THE PAIRINGS
1. Justin Thomas (1), Dustin Johnson (2), Tiger Woods (80)
2. Jordan Spieth (5), Rory McIlroy (6), Phil Mickelson (20)
3. Jason Day (8), Brooks Koepka (9), Bubba Watson (19)
4. Rickie Fowler (7), Hideki Matsuyama (10), Marc Leishman (16)
5. Jon Rahm (4), Sergio Garcia (14), Rafa Cabrera-Bello (24)
6. Tommy Fleetwood (11), Alexander Noren (17), Francesco Molinari (18)
7. Justin Rose (3), Louis Oosthuizen (33), Jimmy Walker (53)
8. Paul Casey (12), Branden Grace (34), Satoshi Kodaira (35)
9. Henrik Stenson (15), Adam Scott (64), Martin Kaymer (112)
10. Kiradech Aphibarnrat (31), Si Woo Kim (45), Haotong Li (46)
11. Kevin Kisner (30), Ross Fisher (42), Adam Hadwin (47)
12. Brian Harman (28), Patrick Cantlay (29), Alexander Levy (49)
13. Patrick Reed (13), Charl Schwartzel (44), Zach Johnson (59)
14. Tyrrell Hatton (23), Ian Poulter (27), Danny Willett (401)
15. Bryson DeChambeau (22), Matt Kuchar (25), Matthew Fitzpatrick (39)
16. Pat Perez (32), Kyle Stanley (38), Cameron Smith (43)
17. Peter Uihlein (48), Russell Henley (58), Aaron Wise (72)
18. Daniel Berger (41), Kevin Chappell (54), Andrew Johnston (144)
19. Tony Finau (37), Gary Woodland (40), Luke List (52)
20. Charley Hoffman (36), Charles Howell III (60), Bill Haas (88)
THURSDAY: FIRST ROUND
TEE NO. 1
6:45 am: Harold Varner III, Matthieu Pavon, TBD
6:56 am: Michael Putnam, Scott Gregory, Will Zalatoris
7:07 am: Brendan Steele, Chesson Hadley, a-Harry Ellis
7:18 am: Jhonattan Vegas, Dylan Frittelli, a-Doug Ghim
7:29 am: Louis Oosthuizen, Jimmy Walker, Justin Rose
7:40 am: Bubba Watson, Jason Day, Brooks Koepka
7:51 am: Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett, Ian Poulter
8:02 am: Kevin Chappell, Andrew Johnston, Daniel Berger
8:13 am: Bryson DeChambeau, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Matt Kuchar
8:24 am: Thorbjorn Olesen, Shubhankar Sharma, Patrick Rodgers
8:35 am: Lanto Griffin, Tom Lewis, a-Jacob Bergeron
8:46 am: a-Kristoffer Reitan, a-Luis Gagne, Cole Miller
8:57 am: Mickey DeMorat, a-Tyler Strafaci, Calum Hill
12:30 pm: Sam Burns, Brian Gay, Dean Burmester
12:41 pm: Wenchong Liang, a-Chun An Yu, TBD
12:52 pm: Russell Henley, Aaron Wise, Peter Uihlein
1:03 pm: Tony Finau, Luke List, Gary Woodland
1:14 pm: Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm, Rafa Cabrera-Bello
1:25 pm: Tommy Fleetwood, Francesco Molinari, Alexander Noren
1:36 pm: Cameron Smith, Kyle Stanley, Pat Perez
1:47 pm: Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods
1:58 pm: Haotong Li, Si Woo Kim, Kiradech Aphibarnrat
2:09 pm: Jason Dufner, a-Braden Thornberry, Brandt Snedeker
2:20 pm: a-Ryan Lumsden, James Morrison, TBD
2:31 pm: Cameron Wilson, a-Will Grimmer, a-Philip Barbaree
2:42 pm: a-Rhett Rasmussen, Michael Hebert, Michael Block
TEE NO. 10
6:45 am: Scott Stallings, Sebastian Munoz, Matthew Southgate
6:56 am: Trey Mullinax, a-Matt Parziale, Jason Scrivener
7:07 am: David Bransdon, Eric Axley, Tyler Duncan
7:18 am: a-Garrett Rank, Mackenzie Hughes, Aaron Baddeley
7:29 am: Alexander Levy, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay
7:40 am: Paul Casey, Satoshi Kodaira, Branden Grace
7:51 am: Zach Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Patrick Reed
8:02 am: Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson
8:13 am: Hideki Matsuyama, Marc Leishman, Rickie Fowler
8:24 am: Charles Howell III, Bill Haas, Charley Hoffman
8:35 am: Sungjae Im, Russell Knox, Matthew Wallace
8:46 am: a-Shintaro Ban, Sung Joon Park, Timothy Wilkinson
8:57 am: Dylan Meyer, Sulman Raza, Chris Naegel
12:30 pm: Matthew Jones, Ryan Fox, Shota Akiyoshi
12:41 pm: Paul Waring, a-Theo Humphrey, TBD
12:52 pm: Richy Werenski, Roberto Castro, Ollie Schniederjans
1:03 pm: a-Noah Goodwin, Richie Ramsay, Kenny Perry
1:14 pm: Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele, TBD
1:25 pm: Lucas Glover, Webb Simpson, Graeme McDowell
1:36 pm: Ernie Els, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk
1:47 pm: Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott, Martin Kaymer
1:58 pm: Kevin Kisner, Ross Fisher, Adam Hadwin
2:09 pm: Shane Lowry, Chez Reavie, TBD
2:20 pm: Lucas Herbert, Brian Stuard, a-Stewart Hagestad
2:31 pm: a-Franklin Huang, Sebastian Vazquez, Michael Miller
2:42 pm: Christopher Babcock, a-Timothy Wiseman, David Gazzolo
FRIDAY: SECOND ROUND
TEE NO. 1
6:45 am: Matthew Jones, Ryan Fox, Shota Akiyoshi
6:56 am: Paul Waring, a-Theo Humphrey, TBD
7:07 am: Richy Werenski, Roberto Castro, Ollie Schniederjans
7:18 am: a-Noah Goodwin, Richie Ramsay, Kenny Perry
7:29 am: Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele, TBD
7:40 am: Lucas Glover, Webb Simpson, Graeme McDowell
7:51 am: Ernie Els, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk
8:02 am: Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott, Martin Kaymer
8:13 am: Kevin Kisner, Ross Fisher, Adam Hadwin
8:24 am: Shane Lowry, Chez Reavie, TBD
8:35 am: Lucas Herbert, Brian Stuard, a-Stewart Hagestad
8:46 am: a-Franklin Huang, Sebastian Vazquez, Michael Miller
8:57 am: Christopher Babcock, a-Timothy Wiseman, David Gazzolo
12:30 pm: Scott Stallings, Sebastian Munoz, Matthew Southgate
12:41 pm: Trey Mullinax, a-Matt Parziale, Jason Scrivener
12:52 pm: David Bransdon, Eric Axley, Tyler Duncan
1:03 pm: a-Garrett Rank, Mackenzie Hughes, Aaron Baddeley
1:14 pm: Alexander Levy, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay
1:25 pm: Paul Casey, Satoshi Kodaira, Branden Grace
1:36 pm: Zach Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Patrick Reed
1:47 pm: Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson
1:58 pm: Hideki Matsuyama, Marc Leishman, Rickie Fowler
2:09 pm: Charles Howell III, Bill Haas, Charley Hoffman
2:20 pm: Sungjae Im, Russell Knox, Matthew Wallace
2:31 pm: a-Shintaro Ban, Sung Joon Park, Timothy Wilkinson
2:42 pm: Dylan Meyer, Sulman Raza, Chris Naegel
TEE NO. 10
6:45 am: Sam Burns, Brian Gay, Dean Burmester
6:56 am: Wenchong Liang, a-Chun An Yu, TBD
7:07 am: Russell Henley, Aaron Wise, Peter Uihlein
7:18 am: Tony Finau, Luke List, Gary Woodland
7:29 am: Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm, Rafa Cabrera-Bello
7:40 am: Tommy Fleetwood, Francesco Molinari, Alexander Noren
7:51 am: Cameron Smith, Kyle Stanley, Pat Perez
8:02 am: Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods
8:13 am: Haotong Li, Si Woo Kim, Kiradech Aphibarnrat
8:24 am: Jason Dufner, a-Braden Thornberry, Brandt Snedeker
8:35 am: a-Ryan Lumsden, James Morrison, TBD
8:46 am: Cameron Wilson, a-Will Grimmer, a-Philip Barbaree
8:57 am: a-Rhett Rasmussen, Michael Hebert, Michael Block
12:30 pm: Harold Varner III, Matthieu Pavon, TBD
12:41 pm: Michael Putnam, Scott Gregory, Will Zalatoris
12:52 pm: Brendan Steele, Chesson Hadley, a-Harry Ellis
1:03 pm: Jhonattan Vegas, Dylan Frittelli, a-Doug Ghim
1:14 pm: Louis Oosthuizen, Jimmy Walker, Justin Rose
1:25 pm: Bubba Watson, Jason Day, Brooks Koepka
1:36 pm: Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett, Ian Poulter
1:47 pm: Kevin Chappell, Andrew Johnston, Daniel Berger
