The Open 2023 draw: Scot out in first group and two paired with major champions

Richie Ramsay is out in the opening group on Thursday in the first round of the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool, where Connor Syme and Bob MacIntyre will both have major champions for company on the opening two days.

The draw has been made for the opening two rounds in the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool. Picture: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

The Edinburgh-based Aberdonian, who is making his first appearance in the event since 2017, will be second on the tee after Hoylake member Matthew Jordan hits the opening shot at 6.35am.

Former Dunhill Links winner Branden Grace makes up the first group to head out in the season’s final major on Merseyside.

Graeme Robertson, who is making his major debut after coming through Final Qualifying at Dundonald Links, is in the second group with American Russell Henley and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattanond.

Syme heads out at 7.30am along with former Masters champion Patrick Reed and Barrio Ballester, the Spaniard who secured his spot in the field by winning the European Amateur Championship.

After his second-place finish behind Rory McIlroy in the Genesis Scottish Open on Sunday, MacIntyre will have 2019 winner Shane Lowry and American ace Rickie Fowler for company when heads out at 10.09am.

Ewen Ferguson, another of the Scots teeing up in a major for the first time, starts his round at 2.26pm with Spaniard Adri Arnaus and Japan’s Keita Nakajima.

It’s a late start, meanwhile, for both Marc Warren and Michael Stewart in the opening circuit. Warren is out at 3.32pm with Spanish duo Nacho Elvira and Alejandro Canizares while Stewart, who joined Robertson in coming through Final Qualifying in Ayrshire, has been paired with yet another Spaniard, Jorge Campillo, and Englishman Brandon Robinson Thompson.

McIlroy, the winner at Hoylake in 2014, also has an afternoon start on day one, when he goes out with Masters champion Jon Rahm and former US Open winner Justin Rose at 2.59pm.