BROOKLINE, Mass. (Reuters) – Six-times major winner Phil Mickelson will tee off with Ireland’s Shane Lowry and Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa on Thursday as he begins his 30th attempt to win the U.S. Open.
The American rolled into Brookline mired in controversy and banned from the PGA Tour, where he collected 45 wins in a career that has spanned more than three decades, after signing on to play with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.
Mickelson will tee off at 1:47 p.m. ET (1747 GMT) on Thursday, having avoided a grouping with one of his most vocal critics on the tour, four-times major winner Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy, who won in 2011, begins his bid at the Country Club at 7:40 a.m. ET (1140 GMT) alongside 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and five-times PGA Tour winner Xander Schauffele, after winning at the Canadian Open on Sunday.
Twice PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas will play in a group with Norwegian Viktor Hovland and fellow American Tony Finau from 1:14 p.m. ET (1714 GMT).
Defending champion Jon Rahm of Spain will play on Thursday in a group including twice major winner Collin Morikawa and James Piot, both of the United States, at 7:18 a.m. ET (1118 GMT).
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Ken Ferris)
