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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tiger Woods plays a shot during a practice round ahead of the British Open Golf Championship, Muirfield, Scotland, Monday, July 15, 2013. The British Open begins on Thursday, July 18. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
GULLANE, Scotland >> Tiger Woods is getting a late start to the British Open at Muirfield.
Woods plays the opening two rounds with former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell. They tee off at 2:45 p.m. local time (3:45 a.m. Hawaii time), with a 9:44 a.m. (10:44 p.m. Thursday Hawaii time) start Friday. It’s the first time Woods has been drawn with either of them on a weekday of a major.
Woods is the betting favorite to end his five-year drought in the majors.
Rory McIlroy plays with Scottish Open winner Phil Mickelson, along with Hideki Matsuyama of Japan.
Nick Faldo, returning to Muirfield one last time, is in a group with five-time Open champion Tom Watson and Fred Couples.
U.S. Open champion Justin Rose plays with defending champion Ernie Els and Brandt Snedeker.
