Harrington, McDowell paired together

Golf - Akron times: For the second week running Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell have been paired together for the opening…

Tiger Woods speaks to the media prior to the first round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on the South Course at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. - (Photograph: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Tiger Woods speaks to the media prior to the first round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on the South Course at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. - (Photograph: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Golf - Akron times:For the second week running Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell have been paired together for the opening two rounds of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio where Rory McIlroy will play alongside Phil Mickelson.

Harrington, McDowell and Damien McGrane formed an all-Irish trio at last week’s Irish Open in Killarney, where the Dubliner finished runner-up.

In the third World Golf Championship (WGC) of the season, the Irish pair will tee off from the first at 7pm Irish time.

McIlroy will set off from the 10th at 2.50pm Irish time alongside the Masters champion.

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World number one Tiger Woods and reigning European number one Lee Westwood have a 6.50pm start just in front of Harrington and McDowell.

Woods is something of a master at Firestone with a record seven victories in the event and all this recent talk of low scoring on tour, Woods shares the course-record of 61 with Spain’s Jose Maria Olazabal.

The American triumphed last year by four shots after closing with successive 65s.

"It's one of the best courses we play all year," said Woods, who is yet to win a PGA Tour title this season in seven starts. "Everything is right in front of you."

First round tee-times (all times Irish)

1st tee

1.30pmMichael Jonzon (Swe), Simon Khan (Gbr)
1.40pm
Soren Hansen (Den), Oliver Wilson (Gbr)
1.50pm
Hennie Otto (Rsa), Ryan Palmer
2.00pm
Sergio Garcia (Spa), Bill Haas
2.10pm
Francesco Molinari (Ita), Ryan Moore
2.20pm
YE Yang (Kor), Stewart Cink
2.30pm
Bubba Watson, Vijay Singh (Fij)
2.40pm
Ian Poulter (Gbr), Ross Fisher (Gbr)
2.50pm
Robert Allenby (Aus), Henrik Stenson (Swe)
3.00pm
Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Sean O'Hair
3.10pm
Simon Dyson (Gbr), Alexander Noren (Swe)
5.30pm
Stuart Appleby (Aus), James Kingston (Rsa)
5.40pm
Ross McGowan (Gbr), Ben Curtis
5.50pm
Heath Slocum, Peter Hanson (Swe)
6.00pm
Jeff Overton, Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn)
6.10pm
Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott (Aus)
6.20pm
Camilo Villegas (Col), Lucas Glover
6.30pm
Dustin Johnson, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa)
6.40pm
Luke Donald (Gbr), Jim Furyk
6.50pm
Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood (Gbr)
7.00pm Pádraig Harrington (Ire), Graeme McDowell (NIrl)

10th tee

1.30pmJB Holmes, David Horsey (Gbr)
1.40pm
Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Chad Campbell
1.50pm
Rhys Davies (Gbr), Jason Bohn
2.00pm
KJ Choi (Kor), Boo Weekley
2.10pm
Robert Karlsson (Swe), Kenny Perry
2.20pm
Matt Kuchar, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus)
2.30pm
Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Scott Verplank
3.40pm
Steve Stricker, Ernie Els (Rsa)
2.50pm
Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy (NIrl)
3.00pm
Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Anthony Kim
5.30pm
Marcus Fraser (Aus), Yuta Ikeda (Jpn)
5.40pm
Troy Matteson, Katsumasa Miyamoto (Jpn)
5.50pm
Jason Day (Aus), Justin Leonard
6.00pm
Bo Van Pelt, Martin Laird (Gbr)
6.10pm
Alvaro Quiros (Spa), Ben Crane
6.20pm
Nick Watney, Mike Weir (Can)
6.30pm
Hunter Mahan, Angel Cabrera (Arg)
6.40pm
Martin Kaymer (Ger), Tim Clark (Rsa)
6.50pm
Paul Casey (Gbr), Justin Rose (Gbr)
7.00pm
Retief Goosen (Rsa), Zach Johnson