Ranking the Best Groups for The Open at Royal Birkdale

The Open and R&A released groups and tee times for the first two rounds at Royal Birkdale on Monday morning (well, morning for us in the States), and there's some serious firepower playing together on Thursday and Friday.

RELATED: Tee Times for The Open at Royal Birkdale

So, I thought it'd be fun to rank the best five threesomes going out in Southport, England, in just a few day's time.

And it's only right to start with one of the hottest players on the planet.

PHOTOS: Early Sights from Royal Birkdale for The Open

Round 1: 2:31 p.m. (local), 9:31 a.m. (ET)

Round 2: 9:25 a.m. (local), 4:25 a.m. (ET)

Gotterup has already won three times this year, is coming off another great week of links golf at the Renaissance Club, and finished third at his Open debut a year ago. I think there’s a real chance he’s right there come Sunday. As for Burns, he’s looking for a little payback after coming oh-so-close at the U.S. Open (again). Finally, the Aussie. There’s something special about watching this man at The Open. Highly recommend.

Round 1: 3:15 p.m. (local), 10:15 a.m. (ET)

Round 2: 10:09 a.m. (local), 5:09 a.m. (ET)

Three major champions, three of the best players in the world. Do I have to say much more?

Round 1: 3:04 p.m. (local), 10:04 a.m. (ET)

Round 2: 9:58 a.m. (local), 4:58 a.m. (ET)

I’m interested in seeing what Young brings this week. He hasn’t played that well since winning the Cadillac Championship, but he’s had some success at The Open before with two top-10 finishes in four starts. Clark is arguably the hottest player in the world and finally found some success at The Open a year ago with a tie for fourth. Can he claim back-to-back majors? As for Aberg, he has to show me something. Just three career top 10s in majors, and he’s been scuffling of late.

Round 1: 10:09 a.m. (local), 5:09 a.m. (ET)

Round 2: 3:15 p.m. (local), 10:15 a.m. (ET)

The last winner at Birkdale, Southport’s native son, and a player who has gone silent on golf’s biggest stages. Yeah, sign me up.

Round 1: 9:58 a.m. (local), 4:58 a.m. (ET)

Round 2: 3:04 p.m. (local), 10:04 a.m. (ET)

Now this group is must-watch TV. Scheffler is coming off his first missed cut since 2022—how does he respond? You never know what you’re going to get from Hatton, but most of the time it rocks. And Bryson has missed the cut at the first three majors of the year and has just two top-30 finishes in eight Open starts. Get your popcorn ready.