Rory McIlroy to tee it up alongside fellow Ryder Cup stars at Wentworth

Rory McIlroy will begin his defence of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Thursday alongside European Ryder Cup team-mates Martin Kaymer and Jamie Donaldson.

The trio will tee off at 08.35 on Thursday morning as the world number one goes in search of his third title in four weeks.

In Donaldson and Kaymer the Northern Irishman will keep the company of the last two men to hole the winning putts at the Ryder Cup.

Meanwhile Pádraig Harrington will attempt to exorcise his Wentworth demons when he begins his first round alongside Shane Lowry and South African Branden Grace at 12.40 on Thursday afternoon.

Shortly after that sees two former US Open champions in Graeme McDowell and Justin Rose tee it up on the west course alongside in-form Danny Willett.

The cigar smoke is sure to be in abundance on the first tee early Thursday morning when Darren Clarke and Miguel Angel Jimenez get their tournaments underway. That group is completed by Thongchai Jaidee and will tee off at 7.40.

An hour later victorious Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley will tee it up with Eddie Pepperell and Romain Wattel.

After an impressive opening two rounds in Barcelona last week Michael Hoey fell away from the top of the Spanish Open leaderboard over the weekend but will be determined to carry that good form into the flagship event on the European Tour this week when he starts alongside Brett Rumford and Hennie Otto at 13.45. Interestingly Rumford is making his first appearance in over a year this week after undergoing an operation to remove 12 inches of his small intestine.

Last week’s event was less enjoyable for Damien McGrane after he was disqualified on Friday. He’ll be hoping to right that wrong this week and plays alongside Englishmen Graeme Storm and Benn Barham at 14.05.

Completing the nine-strong Irish contingent in Surrey this week is Royal Dublin professional Niall Kearney who is set for a very early start thanks to a 7.10 tee-time alongside Jordi Garcia Pinto and Garth Mulroy.