Tiger Woods gets late start at Open with McDowell, Oosthuizen

GULLANE, Scotland – Tiger Woods is getting a late start to the British Open at Muirfield.

Woods plays the opening two rounds with former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell. They tee off at 2:45 p.m. local time (9:45 a.m. EDT), with a 9:44 a.m. (4:44 a.m. EDT) start on Friday. It's the first time Woods has been drawn with either of them on a weekday of a major.

Woods is the betting favorite to end his five-year drought in the majors.

Rory McIlroy plays with Scottish Open winner Phil Mickelson, along with Hideki Matsuyama of Japan.

Nick Faldo, returning to Muirfield one last time, is in a group with five-time Open champion Tom Watson and Fred Couples.

U.S. Open champion Justin Rose plays with defending champion Ernie Els and Brandt Snedeker.