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British Open 2019: Featured pairings for the first two rounds at Royal Portrush

By Brandon Raper

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 17: General view of the 16th hole during a practice round prior to the 148th Open Championship held on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 17, 2019 in Portrush, United Kingdom. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 17: General view of the 16th hole during a practice round prior to the 148th Open Championship held on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 17, 2019 in Portrush, United Kingdom. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images) /
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Phil Mickelson British Open 2019 featured groups
PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND – JULY 16: Phil Mickelson of the United States plays a shot during a practice round prior to the 148th Open Championship held on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2019 in Portrush, United Kingdom. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images) /

1: Phil Mickelson, Shane Lowry, Branden Grace (2:52/7:52 AM)

It’s not hard to see what makes this such an intriguing group, and they’re off eighth overall, just over an hour after Darren Clarke hits the first tee shot of the Open.

No disrespect intended for either Branden Grace or 2009 Irish Open winner Shane Lowry, but this is our first real look at what is hopefully a healthy, happy and rejuvenated Phil Mickelson since he missed the cut at the 3M Open.

The 2013 British Open winner looked like he was set for a magnificent year when he won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am back in February, but it’s mostly been a struggle to find any type of real rhythm for the past five months. Normally I’d lean heavy on Lefty to know how to get it right for a major championship, but I’m not expecting a ton, competitively, out of Phil at Royal Portrush.

This is a “get right” week for him, and if that means he contends through the weekend, that’s just a huge bonus.

If there’s a sleeper to be had out of this group, it’s Lowry. While the political and social divide between Northern Ireland and the Republic to the south still lingers heavily over the Isle, the Irishman did put together a runner-up finish at the RBC Canadian Open, as well as a top-ten at the PGA Championship. He’s a bit streaky, but he could find that extra gear at The Open.

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