Offaly golfers aiming for Open Championship success

Offaly golfers Shane Lowry and Stuart Grehan will have afternoon starts when the 154th Open Championship tees off in Royal Birkdale on Thursday.

The tee times for the opening two rounds of the third golfing major of the year were confirmed on Monday evening with both Lowry and Grehan part of the 156 strong field hoping for Claret Jug success.

Lowry, winner of The Open Championship in 2019, tees off at 2.53pm, while his county compatriot Grehan has a 12.14pm start.

On Friday, the Clara golfer will tee it up at 9.47am with Grehan due on the first tee at 7.08am.

It is a first major tournament for amateur golfer Grehan who recently won the Amateur Championship in Royal Liverpool and was a pivotal member of the Irish team which achieved success at the European Amateur Team Championships this past weekend.

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy, who win The Open Championship in 2014, will hope to add to his major's haul when he starts his tournament at 3.15pm on Thursday afternoon. The County Down golfer has a 10.09 tee time on Friday.

The 2007 and 2008 Open champion Padraig Harrington is into action at 1.20pm on Thursday afternoon and will start his Friday round at 8.14am.

Darren Clarke, who won The Open Championship in 2011, tees it up at 12.47pm on Thursday with a Friday start at 7.41am.

Cork amateur golfer David Howard is also making his debut at The Open Championship. He has a Thursday tee time of 10.42am and will then tee off at 3.48pm on Friday.