Bob MacIntyre and Scottish qualifier learn Open first round tee time and playing partners

Bob MacIntyre will be up early to get his campaign underway in The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale on Thursday.

The Oban man, who has recorded three top-ten finishes in six starts in the Claret Jug event, is out at 7.19am in the opening round.

MacIntyre will be out with fellow former Genesis Scottish Open winner Rickie Fowler and England’s Alex Fitzpatrick at the Southport venue.

Bob MacInytre has been handed an early tee time for the first round of The Open at Royal Birkdale on Thursday. | Getty Images

Jack McDonald, the only other Scot in the 156-man field after coming through one of the Final Qualifiers at Dundonald Links, will get a longer lie before he tees up in the game’s oldest major for the second time in three years.

The Ayrshireman, who is attached to Whitecraigs in Glasgow, sets out at 11.04am along with South African MJ Dafue and Frenchman Freddie Lacroix.

Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, faces a long wait to get his week underway on Merseyside after being handed a late draw on Thursday.

The reigning Masters champion and world No 2 will not go out until 3.15pm alongside 2024 winner Xander Schauffele and Ryder Cup team-mate Matt Fitzpatrick in the marquee afternoon group.

By then, he will have seen how defending champion Scottie Scheffler has fared as the world No 1, who missed his first cut in four years at the Genesis Scottish Open last week, is out at 9.58am.

The American, seeking to become the first player to successfully defend the Claret Jug since Padraig Harrington at the Southport links in 2008, goes out with compatriot Bryson DeChambeau and English hope Tyrrell Hatton.

Immediately behind them will be Southport-born Tommy Fleetwood, Jordan Spieth – the last winner of a Birkdale Open – and two-time major winner Jon Rahm.

Royal Birkdale member Matt Baldwin, who came through Final Qualifying along with McDonald at Dundonald Links, has been given the honour of hitting the opening tee shot at 6.35am.