June 16 (Reuters) – Scottie Scheffler will launch his bid to complete a career Grand Slam alongside defending U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun and amateur Mason Howell at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York.
World number one Scheffler was given an early tee time to start the year’s third major. His group will head out in the opening round on Thursday from the par-four 394-yard first hole starting at 8:14 a.m. ET (1214 GMT).
A two-times Masters champion who won last year’s PGA Championship and British Open, Scheffler will be making his first attempt to join Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen as the only men to win all four of golf’s blue riband events.
Australian Adam Scott, who is competing in his 100th consecutive major this week, will be playing one group ahead in the company of Harris English and Nick Taylor.
McIlroy, who retained his Masters title in April and finished in a share of seventh place at the PGA Championship last month, will go out in the eighth group from the 10th tee at 7:52 a.m. with Swede Ludvig Aberg and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood.
Former U.S. champion Jon Rahm, one of 13 LIV Golf competitors in the 156-player field this week and a joint runner-up at the PGA Championship, will head off from the 10th tee at 2:09 p.m. with Justin Rose and Jordan Spieth.
Twice champion Bryson DeChambeau, also of LIV Golf, who missed the cut at the Masters and PGA Championship, will try to rediscover his major mojo when he sets off from the back nine at 1:25 p.m. with Viktor Hovland and 2022 U.S. Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
