Below: Payne Stewart's Iconic Win 1999 US Open

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who counts the Masters among his five titles this year on the PGA Tour, will play the opening two rounds of the U.S. Open alongside Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.

The high-profile group is scheduled to begin the first round Thursday at 12:14 PM CT from the first tee. They will begin the second round at 7:29 AM Friday from the 10th tee.

Scheffler enters the year's third major, considered the toughest test in golf, fresh off a 1-shot triumph at the Memorial Tournament.

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Schauffele, the world No. 2 who has six top-10 finishes at the U.S. Open, will be looking to build on his PGA Championship victory last month. McIlroy, third in the rankings, is aiming to end his 10-year major drought this week.

Defending champion Wyndham Clark, eager to jump-start a season in which he has missed the cut at the first two majors, will be two groups behind, playing alongside Nick Dunlap and reigning Open Championship victor Brian Harman.

Bryson DeChambeau, one of 13 LIV Golf players in the 156-player field this week and less than a month removed from his runner-up showing at the PGA Championship, will start his first round at 1:25 p.m. with Viktor Hovland and Max Homa.

Tiger Woods, who accepted a special exemption to play in the year's third major, will begin the opening round at 7:29 a.m. on the back nine alongside 2022 U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick and 2022 runner-up Will Zalatoris.

Six-time runner-up Phil Mickelson, who turns 54 on Sunday and needs a win to complete the career Grand Slam, will set out from the first tee at 7:51 a.m. with Rickie Fowler and Canada's Adam Hadwin.

And, how can we ever forget 25 years ago. . .

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Gallery Credit: Michael Leonard