Brooks Koepka tees off with Shane Lowry, Aaron Rai at British Open 2026

Brooks Koepka will tee off early Thursday at the 2026 British Open in a featured group alongside Shane Lowry and Aaron Rai. The trio starts at 9:53 a.m. local time on July 16 at Royal Birkdale, marking Koepka’s first appearance in the event since 2021.

Koepka plays two rounds in the same group. He tees off at 9:53 a.m. on Thursday with Lowry and Rai, then repeats the same pairing at 4:47 a.m. on Friday. The early start times put Koepka in the spotlight before the leaders take the course later in the day.

Only Lowry and Rai join Koepka in both rounds. The rest of the featured groups Thursday include Scottie Scheffler with Tyrrell Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau at 4:58 a.m., and Jordan Spieth with Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm at 5:09 a.m. Friday’s featured groups flip the order, with Scheffler again first off the tee.

Koepka hasn’t won a major since the 2023 PGA Championship. His last British Open appearance ended in a missed cut at St. Andrews in 2022. Playing in a group with two past major winners gives him a chance to measure his form against proven contenders early in the tournament.

Koepka turned 36 in May and needs a strong result to climb back into the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking. A top-10 finish would secure his spot in the 2027 Masters and FedEx Cup playoffs. The British Open also offers the highest purse of the year at £11.5 million.