ERIN, Wisconsin – South Africa will have eight players in the US Open field at Erin Hills in Wisconsin starting on Thursday.
First off will be the highest-ranked local Branden Grace, who will tee it up at 2.24pm SA time alongside American duo Kevin Kisner and Billy Horschel. Grace has finished tied for fourth and tied for fifth over the last two years, so can he go all the way this weekend?
The very next group sees two-time US Open champion Ernie Els lining it up with two more Americans in Webb Simpson and Lucas Glover.
The other South Africans are George Coetzee, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen (who will play together with Henrik Stenson), Brandon Stone, Oliver Bekker and Thomas Aiken.
Former Masters champion Schwartzel is perhaps Mzanzi’s best bet for the title due to his recent form.
US Open First Round Groups (SA times, a- denotes amateur)
First Hole
12:45pm: Jordan Niebrugge (USA), Talor Gooch (USA), Kevin Dougherty (USA)
12:56pm: Andres Romero (ARG), Brice Garnett (USA), Davis Love IV (USA)
1:07pm: Yusaku Miyazato (JPN) JT Poston (USA), Aaron Rai (ENG)
1:18pm: David Lingmerth (SWE) Paul Dunne (IRL), Li Haotong (TPE)
1:29pm: a-Stewart Hagestad (USA) Chez Reavie (USA), Gene Sauers (USA)
1:40pm: Brandt Snedeker (USA), Alex Noren (SWE), Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)
1:51pm: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP), Thomas Pieters (BEL), Brooks Koepka (USA)
2:02pm: Gary Woodland (USA), JB Holmes (USA), Jason Kokrak (USA)
2:13pm: Russell Knox (SCO), a-Scott Gregory (ENG), Martin Laird (SCO)
Branden Grace has finished tied for fourth and tied for fifth in his last two US Opens. Photo: Tannen Maury, EPA
2:24pm: Kevin Kisner (USA), Billy Horschel (USA), Branden Grace (RSA)
2:35pm: Webb Simpson (USA), Ernie Els (RSA), Lucas Glover (USA)
2:46pm: Tyson Alexander (USA), Christopher Crawford (USA), Max Greyserman (USA)
2:57pm: Matthew Campbell (USA), Garrett Osborn (USA), a-Walker Lee (USA)
6:30pm: Jack Maguire (USA), Corey Conners (CAN), Ben Kohles (USA)
6:41pm: Eddie Pepperell (ENG), Chan Kim (USA), Gregory Bourdy (FRA)
6:52pm: Jhonattan Vegas (VEN), Yuta Ikeda (JPN), Sean O’Hair (USA)
7:03pm: Andrew Johnston (ENG), Brian Stuard (USA), George Coetzee (RSA)
7:14pm: Marc Leishman (AUS), Pat Perez (USA), Kim Si-Woo (KOR)
7:25pm: Russell Henley (USA), a-Scottie Scheffler (USA), Harris English (USA)
7:36pm: Bubba Watson (USA), Adam Scott (AUS), Sergio Garcia (ESP)
7:47pm: Henrik Stenson (SWE), Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)
Sunshine Tour Order of Merit winner Brandon Stone will be playing in his first US Open. Photo: Christiaan Kotze, BackpagePix
7:58pm: Jimmy Walker (USA), Justin Thomas (USA), Paul Casey (ENG)
8:09pm: Jason Day (AUS), Justin Rose (ENG), Rory McIlroy (NIR)
8:20pm: Steve Stricker (USA), Stewart Cink (USA), Phil Mickelson (USA)
8:31pm: Ryan Brehm (USA), John Oda (USA), Jonathan Randolph (USA)
8:42pm: a-Mason Andersen (USA), Derek Barron (USA), Roman Robledo (USA)
Tenth Hole
12:45pm: Kim Meen-Whee (KOR), Ted Potter Jr (USA), Daniel Chopra (SWE)
12:56pm: Shugo Imahira (JPN), Ryan Palmer (USA), Matthew Wallace (ENG)
1:07pm: Charley Hoffman (USA), Jason Dufner (USA), Hideto Tanihara (JPN)
1:18pm: Wang Jeung-Hun (KOR), Thomas Aiken (RSA), Bradley Dredge (WAL)
1:29pm: a-Scott Harvey (USA), Jamie Lovemark (USA), Michael Putnam (USA)
1:40pm: Brian Harman (USA), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Bud Cauley (USA)
1:51pm: Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Rickie Fowler (USA), Jon Rahm (ESP)
2:02pm: Lee Westwood (ENG), Ross Fisher (ENG), Graeme McDowell (NIR)
2:13pm: Danny Willett (ENG), Zach Johnson (USA), Angel Cabrera (ARG)
2:24pm: Matt Kuchar (USA), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Patrick Reed (USA)
2:35pm: Martin Kaymer (GER), Jordan Spieth (USA), Dustin Johnson (USA)
2:46pm: a-Joaquin Niemann (CHI), Stephan Jaeger (GER), Joel Stalter (LUX)
2:57pm: Daniel Miernicki (USA), a-Sahith Theegala (USA), Tyler Light (USA)
6:30pm: Wade Ormsby (AUS), Oliver Bekker (RSA), Kyle Thompson (USA)
6:41pm: Brandon Stone (RSA) Troy Merritt (USA), Chris Wood (ENG)
Can two-time champion Ernie Els turn back the clock at the US Open this weekend? Photo: Erik S. Lesser, EPA
6:52pm: Satoshi Kodaira (JPN), Daniel Summerhays (USA), Alexander Levy (FRA)
7:03pm: William McGirt (USA), Keegan Bradley (USA), Kevin Na (USA)
7:14pm: a-Brad Dalke (USA), Wesley Bryan (USA), Brendan Steele (USA)
7:25pm: Nick Flanagan (AUS), Richie Ramsay (SCO), Bryson DeChambeau (USA)
7:36pm: Daniel Berger (USA), Roberto Castro (USA), Bill Haas (USA)
7:47pm: Adam Hadwin (CAN), Emiliano Grillo (ARG), Pan Cheng-Tsung (TPE)
7:58pm: Scott Piercy (USA), Shane Lowry (IRL), Jim Furyk (USA)
8:09pm: Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG), Peter Uihlein (USA), An Byeong-Hun (KOR)
8:20pm: Kevin Chappell (USA), a-Maverick McNealy (USA), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)
8:31pm: Xander Schauffele (USA), Trey Mullinax (USA), a-Cameron Champ (USA)
8:42pm: Sam Ryder (USA), a-Alex Smalley (USA), Andy Pope (USA)