8am Round-Up: Russell Knox in same WGC group as Danny Willett

Russell Knox opens his campaign in Texas against Bill Haas tomorrow. Picture: Getty Images

Also in the Scot’s group are American Bill Haas and Korea’s K T Kim, who was the last man to secure a spot in the 64-man field for the event’s second staging at Austin Country Club.

Knox, the sole Scot in the line-up for the second year running, opens his campaign tomorrow against six-time PGA Tour winner Haas.

He then faces Kim, winner of 18 titles worldwide, on Thursday before concluding the round-round phase against Willett, who defends his Green Jacket in a fortnight’s time, on Friday.

Last year, Knox halved with David Lingmerth in his opening match, then beat Chris Kirk 2&1 before going out following a 5&4 defeat at the hands of Branden Grace.

The draw has thrown up a number of strong groups, including tough tests for Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy, the world No 1 and No 2 respectively.

Johnson is up against three fellow major winners in Martin Kaymer, Jimmy Walker and Webb Simpson while McIlroy takes on Gary Woodland, the man he beat in the final two years ago, as well as Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo and Dane Soren Kjeldsen.

Jason Day, the defending champion, also faces a strong test against fellow Australian and Arnold Palmer Invitational winner Marc Leishman, Lee Westwood and Pat Perez.

There will be another mouth-watering tie when Spaniards Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm lock horns in a group that also includes Shane Lowry and Kevin Chappell.

FULL LIST OF GROUPS (world ranking in brackets)

Group 1: Dustin Johnson (1), Jimmy Walker (22), Martin Kaymer (46), Webb Simpson (64)

Group 2: Rory McIlroy (2), Emiliano Grillo (30), Gary Woodland (37), Soren Kjeldsen (68)

Group 3: Jason Day (3), Marc Leishman (32), Lee Westwood (49), Pat Perez (62)

Group 4: Hideki Matsuyama (4), Louis Oosthuizen (27), Ross Fisher (53), Jim Furyk (57)

Group 5: Jordan Spieth (6), Ryan Moore (36), Yuta Ikeda (41), Hideto Tanihara (60)

Group 6: Justin Thomas (7), Matt Fitzpatrick (31), Kevin Na (52), Chris Wood (55)

Group 7: Sergio Garcia (10), Jon Rahm (25), Kevin Chappell (42), Shane Lowry (59)

Group 8: Alex Noren (11), Francesco Molinari (29), Bernd Wiesberger (40), Thongchai Jaidee (63)

Group 9: Patrick Reed (12), Brooks Koepka (24), Kevin Kisner (38), Jason Dufner (65)

Group 10: Tyrrell Hatton (14), Rafa Cabrera-Bello (26), Jeunghun Wang (45), Charles Howell III (67)

Group 11: Danny Willett (15), Russell Knox (21), Bill Haas (47), K.T. Kim (70)

Group 12: Paul Casey (16), Charl Schwartzel (28), Ben An (51), Joost Luiten (66)

Group 13: Bubba Watson (17), Thomas Pieters (34), Scott Piercy (43), Jhonattan Vegas (61)

Group 14: Phil Mickelson (18), J.B. Holmes (35), Daniel Berger (39), Si Woo Kim (69)

Group 15: Branden Grace (19), Brandt Snedeker (23), William McGirt (54), Andy Sullivan (58)

Group 16: Matt Kuchar (20), Tommy Fleetwood (33), Zach Johnson (50), Brendan Steele (56)

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Richie Ramsay and Marc Warren will be flying the Scottish flag in the inaugural GolfSixes event at the Centurion Club, near St Albans, on the first weekend in May.

The duo have been confirmed among the players set to take part in the innovative European Tour event, which will see 16 teams split into four groups on 6 May.

To be played in a greensomes match-play format, three points will be given for victory with one point for a draw.

Ryder Cup duo Chris Wood and Andy Sullivan are representing England while Thorbjørn Olesen, bidding to follow up a World Cup win towards the end of last year, teams up with Lucas Bjerregaard for Denmark.

Ireland are notable absentees but Jamie Donaldson lines up with Bradley Dredge for Wales.

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Grant Forrest is sitting joint-ninth heading into today’s final round of the MENA Tour’s Royal Golf Mohammedia Open in Morocco.

The 23-year-old carded a second-round 68 - one of the best rounds of the day - at Royal Golf D’Anfa to move to two-under, four shots behind leader Lee Corfield from England.

Forrest, who finished second in the circuit’s Qualifying School before claiming a top-15 spot in the Casablanca Open last week, signed for five birdies, including three in the last five holes.

Jack McDonald and Jamie Savage are the only other Scots still standing, sitting in a share of 42nd spot on four-over after matching rounds of 72 and 74.

Corfield had a hole-in-one at the 11th as he retained his two-shot overnight lead heading into the final closing circuit.

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The O’Hara brothers - Paul and Steven - came out on top in the PGA in Scotland’s Winter Fourball event at Troon Portland.

They pipped Robert Arnott and Jason McCreadie on a countback after both pairings shot 63s at the Ayrshire venue.

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Stirling players top both leaderboards heading into the final round of the 11th SSS/BUCS Dundonald Tournament.

After rounds of 70 and 77 at the Ayrshire venue, Colin Edgar holds a two-shot lead in the men’s event over Christopher Low (Abertay Dundee) and Bjorn Bojesen (St Andrews).

And, in the women’s event, sharing pole position on 153 are Stirling team-mates Chloe Goadby (79-74) and Gemma Batty (72-81).

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Danny Young beat a strong field to win the latest Big Johnson’s Tour event, sponsored by Golf Finance, over the Jubilee Course in St Andrews.

The former South African Amateur champion, who is now on the Alps Tour, shot a one-under 71, finishing a shot ahead of organiser John Henry, as well as Michael Stewart and Wallace Booth,

Others in the field included former European Tour card holders Peter Whiteford and Andrew McArthur.