Rory McIlroy drawn with Rickie Fowler in Irish Open

Padraig Harrington to play with Sergio Garcia at Royal County Down

Rory McIlroy will play with Rickie Fowler in the first round of the Irish Open. Photograph: Getty
Rory McIlroy will play with Rickie Fowler in the first round of the Irish Open. Photograph: Getty

World number one Rory McIlroy will play with Rickie Fowler and Martin Kaymer in the pick of the draw at the Irish Open.

Walker Cup rivals turned Major rivals, Fowler and McIlroy, who is largely responsible for the stellar names littering the draw at Royal County Down, will tee off at 8am on Thursday.

They will be following another home favourite Graeme McDowell, who has been grouped with Miguel Angel Jimenez, fresh from his second place finish in the PGA Championship at Wentworth, and England's Lee Westwood.

There is little love lost between three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia and the two will start together from the 10th tee along with 2014 winner Mikko Ilonen at 12.50pm.

READ MORE

Shane Lowry returned to form at Wentworth, finishing tied for sixth place and a shot behind Francesco Molinari, and the two tee off at 1pm on Thursday with big Ernie Els.

Elsewhere, Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke has been drawn with Luke Donald and Danny Willett, while Wentworth winner Byeong Hun An isjoined by Victor Dubuisson and Tommy Fleetwood.

Selected tee times:

07:40 Darren CLARKE Luke DONALD Danny WILLETT

07:50 Graeme MCDOWELL Lee WESTWOOD Miguel Angel JIMÉNEZ

08:00 Martin KAYMER Rory MCILROY Rickie FOWLER

08:10 Michael HOEY Stephen GALLACHER Marc WARREN

08:20 Matteo MANASSERO Kevin PHELAN George COETZEE

08:30 Paul MCGINLEY Paul LAWRIE Robert KARLSSON

08:40 Tyrrell HATTON Peter UIHLEIN Chris WOOD

08:50 Chris DOAK Ricardo GONZALEZ John G KELLY

12:30 Damien MCGRANE Thorbjørn OLESEN Alexander LEVY

12:40 James MORRISON Anirban LAHIRI Thongchai JAIDEE

12:50 Padraig HARRINGTON Mikko ILONEN Sergio GARCIA

13:00 Ernie ELS Shane LOWRY Francesco MOLINARI

13:10 Victor DUBUISSON Tommy FLEETWOOD Byeong Hun AN

13:20 Pablo LARRAZÁBAL Andy SULLIVAN Bernd WIESBERGER

13:30 Marcel SIEM Kiradech APHIBARNRAT Ross FISHER

13:40 Peter HANSON Nicolas COLSAERTS David HOWELL

13:50 Peter LAWRIE Romain WATTEL Richie RAMSAY

14:00 Steve WEBSTER Alex NOREN Simon THORNTON

14:10 Mike LORENZO-VERA Robert DINWIDDIE Gavin MOYNIHAN (AM)