Far Hills, NJ (Best E Casino) - Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will be paired together for the first two rounds at Torrey Pines next week as the United States Golf Association released the tee times on Thursday for next week's 108th U.S. Open Championship.
World No. 3 Adam Scott will complete the group. That threesome will tee off the first hole at 11:06 a.m. (et) Thursday and 4:36 p.m. Friday off the 10th tee.
In a new twist, the USGA has created prime groups with the top-12 players in the world rankings paired in four separate threesomes.
Woods and Mickelson both have outstanding records on the South Course at Torrey Pines. The South Course also hosts the Buick Invitational, along with the North Course.
Woods has won the Buick each of the last four years and six times overall. Mickelson has won that event three times, while both players also competed on the course for many amateur events as well.
The group following the Woods' trio will include two former major champions, two-time U.S. Open champ Lee Janzen and former PGA winner Rich Beem, as well as Steve Flesch. The next group has Jesper Parnevik with two former major winners - 2005 U.S. Open champ Michael Campbell and 2004 British Open winner Todd Hamilton.
Former U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk starts Thursday on the 10th tee at 10:22 a.m. and Friday on the first tee at 3:52 p.m. Furyk will play with K.J. Choi and Steve Stricker.
Jerry Kelly will play alongside Stuart Appleby and Lee Westwood. Those three start on the 10th tee at 10:55 a.m. Thursday and at 4:25 p.m. Friday on the first.
The afternoon wave off the first tee Thursday is loaded with big names. World Nos. 10 through 12 Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia and Stewart Cink will play at 3:52 p.m. Thursday. They start Friday on the 10th tee at 10:22 a.m.
Following that group will be three Masters champions Trevor Immelman, Zach Johnson and Mike Weir. Two-time U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen headlines the next threesome that also includes Scott Verplank and Aaron Baddeley.
Defending champion Angel Cabrera has a late start to his opening round. He will begin Thursday at 4:36 p.m. and comes back at 11:06 a.m. Friday on the 10th tee. He will play with defending British Open champ Padraig Harrington and 1997 PGA Championship winner Davis Love III.
Three Englishman will play together for the first two rounds. Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Luke Donald will begin Thursday on the 10th tee at 4:44 p.m. and will return Friday on the first tee at 10:44 a.m.
Later on the 10th tee, World Nos. 4-6 are paired in the same group. Two-time champion U.S. Open champ Ernie Els, 2006 winner Geoff Ogilvy and Justin Rose start Thursday at 4:36 p.m. and return Friday on the first tee at 11:06 a.m.