Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm Lead Notable Groups To Watch In Opening Rounds

World Nos. 2, 3 and 5 lead the notable groupings this week at Valhalla Golf Club.

Starting with Rory McIlroy, ranked second, who just won the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship and was the last man to win a PGA Championship at Valhalla, winning the 2014 playing by a shot over two-time PGA Champion Phil Mickelson. McIlroy is grouped with Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose.

STARTING TIMES: See when your favorite player will tee it up in Rounds 1 and 2

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They start on the 10^th hole Thursday for the first round and begin at 8:15 a.m. ET. Their second-round time is 1:40 p.m. ET off the first.

Xander Schauffele finished runner-up to McIlroy last week on the PGA Tour and enters the PGA Championship ranked No. 3 in the world. He’s grouped with Ludvig Aberg and Justin Thomas, the two-time PGA Champion who is from Kentucky and is sure to have throngs of fans in the gallery cheering for him. Aberg finished second at the Masters last month at Augusta National.

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The trio starts on the 10^th hole Thursday at 7:53 a.m. and will start at 1:18 p.m. ET on Friday on the first hole.

Jon Rahm, ranked No. 5, Rickie Fowler and Cameron Young will begin their respective runs to the PGA Championship in the afternoon Thursday off the first tee at 2:02 p.m. ET. On Friday, they start on the 10^th hole at 8:37 a.m.

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The first group off on Thursday features three familiar names. Winning 2023 European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is grouped with 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel and Michael Block, one of the 21 PGA of America Golf Professionals who is part of the Corebridge Financial Team. Block tied for 15^th place last year at Oak Hill thanks to a hole in one on the 69^th hole of the championship while playing alongside McIlroy. That finish automatically qualified him for this year’s championship. Block is the Head PGA of America Professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in California and is playing in his sixth PGA Championship. His first was at Valhalla 10 years ago.

The threesome tees off the first hole at 7:15 a.m. ET on Thursday, then off the 10^th at 12:40 p.m. ET on Friday.