PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler have been slated to headline the afternoon wave for THE PLAYERS Championship’s opening round this week, with former FedExCup winners Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth to set the early pace at TPC Sawgrass. Having first teased the above featured groups on Sunday the PGA TOUR today announced tee times for the opening two rounds and revealed some other blockbuster groups. Check here to see how to follow all Featured Group action. Playing together at THE PLAYERS Championship for the first time since 2001, Woods and Mickelson will join Fowler on the first tee at 1:52 p.m. Thursday, and then start on the 10th tee Friday at 8:27 a.m. The only time Woods and Mickelson have been paired at TPC Sawgrass was in the third round in 2001. Mickelson shot an even-par 72 while Woods shot 66 — and then went on to win the first of his two PLAYERS titles the next day. Mickelson finished T33 that year. The last time Woods and Mickelson have been paired in any TOUR event was nearly four years ago in the first two rounds of the PGA Championship at Valhalla in Kentucky. Overall, this will be the 22nd different stroke-play event on TOUR in which they’ve played at least one round together. FedExCup leader Thomas, Spieth and McIlroy will begin off the 10th tee Thursday at 8:27 a.m. Preceding them as part of a heavy-hitting opening few hours are the all England group of Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood (7:54 a.m.). Long ballers Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka (8:05 a.m.) and former international PLAYERS champions Si Woo Kim, Adam Scott and Martin Kaymer (8:16 a.m.) The afternoon wave will also feature groups including Masters champion Patrick Reed with Jon Rahm and Hideki Matsuyama (1:30 p.m.) and former PLAYERS Champions Jason Day, Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia (1:41 p.m.). Click here for a complete list of tee times.
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