McIlroy, Scott, Woods together at US Open

ARDMORE, Pa. — Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott will play together the opening two rounds of the U.S. Open next week at Merion.

For the third straight year, U.S. Open officials have put the top three players in the world ranking in the same group. The feature group will start off the first tee at 1:14 p.m. Thursday before beginning on the 11th tee at 7:44 a.m. Friday.

The U.S. Open disclosed the Nos. 1-2-3 group in a tweet, and McIlroy immediately responded on Twitter.

“Decent group for the first 2 rounds at Merion I see …” he tweeted.

Woods is trying to end five years without a major title. McIlroy, who has yet to win this year, will be trying to capture a major for the third straight year. Scott is the Masters champion, the only player capable of the Grand Slam this year.

This will be the first time Woods and McIlroy have played together in any round of a major. They have played in the opening two rounds together at five previous tournaments — twice in Abu Dhabi, the Cadillac Championship at Doral this year (won by Woods), the BMW Championship last year (won by McIlroy) and The Barclays last year.

The USGA first went to the 1-2-3 grouping in the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines — Woods, San Diego native Phil Mickelson and Scott.

In front of this year’s threesome are U.S. Open champions Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell, and former Masters champion Zach Johnson. Mickelson is on the other side of the draw.