The China Mail - Rahm, Smith and Fitzpatrick together at PGA Championship

World number one Rahm, a Spaniard who won last month's Masters, will join England's seventh-ranked Fitzpatrick, who defends his US Open crown next month, and LIV Golf League star Cameron Smith of Australia, last year's British Open winner, will start off the 10th tee Thursday at 8:33 a.m. (1233 GMT).

The trio will start Friday off the first tee at 1:58 p.m.

Just behind them both days will be Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald of England alongside two potential players on his squad that will host the United States in Italy in September -- Poland's Adrian Meronk and Germany's Yannik Paul.

World number two Scottie Scheffler, last year's Masters champion, will start off the 10th tee at 8 a.m. Thursday alongside fellow Americans Brooks Koepka, a four-time major winner, and Gary Woodland, the 2019 US Open champion.

Teeing off 11 minutes later just behind them will be third-ranked Rory McIlroy, a four-time major winner from Northern Ireland, with two-time major winner Collin Morikawa and fellow American Justin Thomas, last year's PGA Championship winner.

Just behind them, and before the triple major champion group, will be Ireland's Shane Lowry, Norway's Viktor Hovland and American Jordan Spieth, who would complete a career Grand Slam with an Oak Hill triumph.

The 17 LIV players in the field were scattered among various groups.

Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson was matched with US compatriots Rickie Fowler and fourth-ranked Patrick Cantlay at 1:58 p.m. Thursday off the first tee.

The group before them includes Dustin Johnson, who won last week's LIV event in Tulsa, plus fellow American Xander Schauffele, the Tokyo Olympic champion, and England's Tyrrell Hatton.

Off at 1:36 p.m. Thursday from the first tee are Australian Adam Scott, sixth-ranked American Max Homa and world number 12 Tony Finau of the United States.

K.Leung--ThChM