SAN DIEGO — When the U.S. Open came to Torrey Pines the first time 13 years ago, the USGA famously paired the world's three top-ranked players — Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott — for the first two rounds.
If the world's current top three — Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm — are to play together when the 2021 U.S. Open returns to Torrey Pines, they will have to wait until the weekend.
And they will have to do so based on performance rather than the preferences of the USGA.
Johnson, Thomas and Rahm were sprinkled among 52 groups in pairings released Tuesday morning for the 156-player field. All four rounds will be played on the 7,652-yard South Course (par 71) at Torrey Pines.
Local fans will get to see Phil Mickelson go after the career grand slam paired with another San Diegan, Xander Schauffele, and Max Homa. They go off the 10th tee Thursday at 7:51 a.m.
Schauffele played a practice round with Homa on Monday and Schauffele and Mickelson played together almost daily during the lockdowns.
The biggest buzz would have come had the USGA paired defending champion Bryson DeChambeau with two-time Open winner Brooks Koepka; the two have been involved in a social media feud recently.
Instead, DeChambeau takes the first tee at 1:14 p.m. Thursday with Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and U.S. Amateur champion Tyler Strafaci. They will be followed by the Adam Scott-Sergio Garcia-Bubba Watson threesome. Then comes Johnson, who is paired with Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose.
Koepka is paired with Thomas and Collin Morikawa, starting on the back nine, two groups ahead of Mickelson and Schauffele.
Rahm will play alongside Marc Leishman and Patrick Reed in an afternoon grouping that also starts on No. 10.
Rahm, scheduled to play a practice round Tuesday, returns after a 10-day absence due to COVID-19.
The Spaniard was forced to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament following the third round after being informed of a positive COVID-19 test as he came off the course following the third round.
Rahm was leading the event by six strokes at the time. Rahm announced on Twitter over the weekend that he had two negative COVID-19 tests in a 24-hour period and was cleared to play by health officials.
Some of the storylines at the Open include Mickelson looking to complete the career grand slam after six second-place finishes in the Open. Mickelson, who turns 51 on Wednesday, became the oldest player to win a major with last month's victory in the PGA Championship.
Schauffele is making his fifth Open appearance following four straight top-10 finishes (tied for fifth, tied for sixth, tied for third, fifth). The last player to do that was Bobby Jones, who had seven straight top 10s from 1920-1926.
There had been hope among locals that Mickelson and Schauffele would be joined by another San Diegan, Charley Hoffman, but the latter was paired with Kevin Streelman and Branden Grace. They don't tee off until 1:58 p.m. on the 10th tee.
The winner receives $2.25 million as well as a 10-year exemption to the U.S. Open and a five-year exemption to golf's other three majors.
Players will tee off at both the 1st and 10th holes in the first two rounds. The first groups go off at 6:45 a.m. both days.
The field will be trimmed to the top 60 players (and ties) for the final two rounds.
DeChambeau shot a final-round, 3-under-par 67 to win by six strokes last year at Winged Foot Golf Club, in Mamaroneck, N.Y., in an Open delayed until September because of the pandemic.
The field includes nine U.S. Open champions: DeChambeau (2020), Gary Woodland (2019), Koepka (2018, 2017), Johnson (2016), Spieth (2015), Martin Kaymer (2014), Rose (2013), Webb Simpson (2012) and McIlroy (2011).
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121st U.S. Open tee times
Tee times for the first two rounds of the 2021 U.S. Open Championship, Thursday and Friday at 7,652-yard, par-71 Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course).
All Times PDT
Thursday (June 17), Hole No. 1 / Friday (June 18), Hole No. 10
6:45 a.m. / 12:30 p.m. — Sahith Theegala, Chino Hills, Calif.; Edoardo Molinari, Italy; Greyson Sigg, Augusta, Ga.
6:56 a.m. / 12:41 p.m. — Chris Baker, Brownstown, Ind.; J.J. Spaun, Los Angeles; Fabian Gomez, Argentina
7:07 a.m. / 12:52 p.m. — Patrick Rodgers, Jupiter, Fla.; Robby Shelton, Birmingham, Ala.; (a) Pierceson Coody, Plano, Texas
7:18 a.m. / 1:03 p.m. — Russell Henley, Columbus, Ga.; Mackenzie Hughes, Canada; Harris English, Sea Island, Ga.
7:29 a.m. / 1:14 p.m. — Francesco Molinari, Italy; Henrik Stenson, Sweden; Shane Lowry, Ireland
7:40 a.m. / 1:25 p.m. — Matt Fitzpatrick, England; Tyrrell Hatton, England; Viktor Hovland, Norway
7:51 a.m. / 1:36 p.m. — Martin Kaymer, Germany; Webb Simpson, Charlotte, N.C.; Gary Woodland, Topeka, Kan.
8:02 a.m. / 1:47 p.m. — Tony Finau, Salt Lake City; Abraham Ancer, Mexico; Daniel Berger, Jupiter, Fla.
8:13 a.m. / 1:58 p.m. — Si Woo Kim, Republic of Korea; Kevin Na, Las Vegas; Bernd Wiesberger, Austria
8:24 a.m. / 2:09 p.m. — Jimmy Walker, San Antonio; Ian Poulter, England; Ryan Palmer, Colleyville, Texas
8:35 a.m. / 2:20 p.m. — J.T. Poston, Sea Island, Ga.; Adam Hadwin, Canada; (a) Joe Long, England
8:46 a.m. / 2:31 p.m. — Luis Fernando Barco, Peru; Dylan Meyer, Evansville, Ind.; (a) Matthew Sharpstene, Charlotte, N.C.
8:57 a.m. / 2:42 p.m. — Mario Carmona, Mexico; Wilson Furr, Jackson, Miss.; Davis Shore, Knoxville, Tenn.
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Thursday (June 17), Hole No. 10 / Friday (June 18), Hole No. 1
6:45 a.m. / 12:30 p.m. — Andy Pope, Glen Ellyn, Ill.; Brad Kennedy, Australia; Thomas Aiken, South Africa
6:56 a.m. / 12:41 p.m. — Yosuke Asaji, Japan; Marcus Armitage, England; Jhonattan Vegas, Venezuela
7:07 a.m. / 12:52 p.m. — Cameron Young, Jupiter, Fla.; Wilco Nienaber, South Africa; Guido Migliozzi, Italy
7:18 a.m. / 1:03 p.m. — Brian Harman, Sea Island, Ga.; Tommy Fleetwood, England; Matthew Wolff, Agoura Hills, Calif.
7:29 a.m. / 1:14 p.m. — Collin Morikawa, La Canada, Calif.; Justin Thomas, Louisville, Ky.; Brooks Koepka, West Palm Beach, Fla.
7:40 a.m. / 1:25 p.m. — Kevin Kisner, Aiken, S.C.; Billy Horschel, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Matt Kuchar, Sea Island, Ga.
7:51 a.m. / 1:36 p.m. — Max Homa, Valencia, Calif.; Xander Schauffele, San Diego; Phil Mickelson, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
8:02 a.m. / 1:47 p.m. — Jason Kokrak, Hudson, Ohio; Cameron Champ, Sacramento, Calif.; Corey Conners, Canada
8:13 a.m. / 1:58 p.m. — Paul Barjon, France; Sam Ryder, Atlantic Beach, Fla.; Ryo Ishikawa, Japan
8:24 a.m. / 2:09 p.m. — Dylan Frittelli, South Africa; Martin Laird, Scotland; K.H. Lee, Republic of Korea
8:35 a.m. / 2:20 p.m. — Rafa Cabrera Bello, Spain; Adrian Meronk, Poland; Sung Kang, Republic of Korea
8:46 a.m. / 2:31 p.m. — Akshay Bhatia, Wake Forest, N.C.; (a) Andrew Kozan, West Palm Beach, Fla.; Alvaro Ortiz, Mexico
8:57 a.m. / 2:42 p.m. — James Hervol, Hopkinton, Mass.; Hayden Springer, Trophy Club, Texas; Roy Cootes, Rolling Hills, Calif.
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Thursday (June 17), Hole No. 1 / Friday (June 18), Hole No. 10
12:30 p.m. / 6:45 a.m. — Zach Zaback, Farmington, Conn.; Steve Allan, Australia; Eric Cole, Delray Beach, Fla.
12:41 p.m. / 6:56 a.m. — Hayden Buckley, Tupelo, Miss.; Taylor Montgomery, Las Vegas; Jordan Smith, England
12:52 p.m. / 7:07 a.m. — Chez Reavie, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Richard Bland, England; Troy Merritt, Meridian, Idaho
1:03 p.m. / 7:18 a.m. — Robert MacIntyre, Scotland; Victor Perez, France; Matt Wallace, England
1:14 p.m. / 7:29 a.m. — Tyler Strafaci, Davie, Fla.; Hideki Matsuyama, Japan; Bryson DeChambeau, Clovis, Calif.
1:25 p.m. / 7:40 a.m. — Adam Scott, Australia; Sergio Garcia, Spain; Bubba Watson, Bagdad, Fla.
1:36 p.m. / 7:51 a.m. — Dustin Johnson, North Palm Beach, Fla.; Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland; Justin Rose, England
1:47 p.m. / 8:02 a.m. — Matt Jones, Australia; Brendan Steele, Idyllwild, Calif.; Cameron Smith, Australia
1:58 p.m. / 8:13 a.m. — Carlos Ortiz, Mexico; Zach Johnson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Lanto Griffin, Blacksburg, Va.
2:09 p.m. / 8:24 a.m. — Sam Burns, Shreveport, La.; Chan Kim, Gilbert, Ariz.; Thomas Detry, Belgium
2:20 p.m. / 8:35 a.m. — (a) Ollie Osborne, Reno, Nev.; Peter Malnati, Knoxville, Tenn.; Brian Stuard, Jackson, Mich.
2:31 p.m. / 8:46 a.m. — John Huh, Dallas, Texas; Johannes Veerman, Houston, Texas; Zack Sucher, Birmingham, Ala.
2:42 p.m. / 8:57 a.m. — Rick Lamb, Nashville, Tenn.; Michael Johnson, Birmingham, Ala.; Carson Schaake, Omaha, Neb.
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Thursday (June 17), Hole No. 10 / Friday (June 18), Hole No. 1
12:30 p.m. / 6:45 a.m. — David Coupland, England; Taylor Pendrith, Canada; Wade Ormsby, Australia
12:41 p.m. / 6:56 a.m. — Tom Hoge, Fargo, N.D.; Bo Hoag, Columbus, Ohio; (a) Joe Highsmith, Lakewood, Wash.
12:52 p.m. / 7:07 a.m. — Erik van Rooyen, South Africa; Christiaan Bezuidenhout, South Africa; Charl Schwartzel, South Africa
1:03 p.m. / 7:18 a.m. — Garrick Higgo, South Africa; (a) Cole Hammer, Houston, Texas; Joaquin Niemann, Chile
1:14 p.m. / 7:29 a.m. — Lee Westwood, England; Stewart Cink, Atlanta, Ga.; Paul Casey, England
1:25 p.m. / 7:40 a.m. — Will Zalatoris, Dallas; Scottie Scheffler, Dallas; Jordan Spieth, Dallas
1:36 p.m. / 7:51 a.m. — Marc Leishman, Australia; Jon Rahm, Spain; Patrick Reed, The Woodlands, Texas
1:47 p.m. / 8:02 a.m. — Patrick Cantlay, Jupiter, Fla.; Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa; Sungjae Im, Republic of Korea
1:58 p.m. / 8:13 a.m. — Kevin Streelman, Wheaton, Ill.; Branden Grace, South Africa; Charley Hoffman, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
2:09 p.m. / 8:24 a.m. — Sebastian Munoz, Colombia; Rikuya Hoshino, Japan; Brendon Todd, Athens, Ga.
2:20 p.m. / 8:35 a.m. — Wyndham Clark, Denver, Colo.; (a) Matthias Schmid, Germany; Matthew Southgate, England
2:31 p.m. / 8:46 a.m. — (a) Spencer Ralston, Gainesville, Ga.; Dylan Wu, Medford, Ore.; Justin Suh, Las Vegas
2:42 p.m. / 8:57 a.m. — Luis Gagne, Costa Rica; Kyle Westmoreland, Daniel Island, S.C.; Christopher Crawford, Bensalem, Pa.
