The Open tee-off times: Mark O'Meara to hit opening shot at 146th Championship

The tee-off times for the first and second round of this year's Open

The 146th edition of the Open Championship gets under way on Thursday morning (Getty)

Former champion Mark O'Meara will hit the first shot of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on Thursday.

O'Meara, who won the second major of his career when the Open was staged at Birkdale in 1998, will tee off at 6:35am alongside fellow American Ryan Moore and England's Chris Wood.

Wood finished fifth at Birkdale in 2008 and won the silver medal as leading amateur, before missing out on the play-off between Tom Watson and Stewart Cink by a single shot the following year at Turnberry.

Defending champion Henrik Stenson will get his title defence under way at 9:47am in the same group as two-time major winner Jordan Spieth and South Korea's Si Woo Kim, who won the Players Championship at Sawgrass in May.

Stenson was pessimistic about his chances despite a closing 68 in the Scottish Open on Sunday, after which he was asked if he could emulate Padraig Harrington in winning back-to-back Open titles at Birkdale.

"I think we're hoping for a lot in terms of what we saw this week," the 41-year-old said. "We certainly need to step that up quite a lot if we want to have anything to do with it next week.

"There's always a chance and I'm going to enjoy the week. You never know, it might be the only time we're defending champion at the Open Championship so I might as well enjoy it."

Harrington is in the group ahead of Stenson alongside American Pat Perez and Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters, with Justin Rose, 2010 winner Louis Oosthuizen and Justin Thomas out at 9:58am.

Henrik Stenson is looking to defend his title (Getty)

Local favourite Tommy Fleetwood, who was fourth in the US Open behind Brooks Koepka, will renew battle with the American at 10:09am along with Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, who was joint second at Erin Hills.

Masters champion Sergio Garcia begins his bid for a second major of the year at 1:04pm with 2015 Open champion Zach Johnson and former world number one Jason Day.

And 2014 champion Rory McIlroy, who comes into the event on the back of three missed cuts in his last four starts, has to wait until 2:48pm to get his campaign under way alongside world number one Dustin Johnson and Charl Schwartzel.

Irish Open winner Jon Rahm has been paired with Patrick Reed and Lee Westwood at 2:59pm, with 2013 champion Phil Mickelson, Francesco Molinari and Marc Leishman in the group behind.

Australia's Ryan McCarthy, England's Laurie Canter and Colombia's Sebastian Munoz are in the final group at 4:16pm.

Tee-off times - first round:

0635 Chris Wood, Mark O'Meara (USA), Ryan Moore (USA)

0646 Phachara Khongwatmai (Tha), (a) Maverick McNealy (USA), Stuart Manley

0657 Stewart Cink (USA), Sandy Lyle, Jeunghun Wang (Kor)

0708 Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Paul Broadhurst, Roberto Castro (USA)

0719 Tom Lehman (USA), Byeong-Hun An (Kor), Darren Fichardt (Rsa)

0730 Billy Horschel (USA), Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Danny Willett

0741 Steve Stricker (USA), Matthew Fitzpatrick, Emiliano Grillo (Ar)

0752 Jason Dufner (USA), Branden Grace (Rsa), Bryson DeChambeau (USA)

0803 Russell Knox, Alex Noren (Swe), Ian Poulter

0814 David Duval (USA), Prayad Marksaeng (Tha), K.T. Kim (Kor)

0825 Young-Han Song (Kor), David Horsey, Dylan Frittelli (Rsa)

0836 Mike Lorenzo-Vera (Fra), Charles Howell III (USA), Shiv Kapur (Ind)

0847 Russell Henley (USA), Fabrizio Zanotti (Par), Peter Uihlein (USA)

0903 Brendan Steele (USA), Alexander Levy (Fra), Webb Simpson (USA)

0914 Wesley Bryan (USA), Anirban Lahiri (Ind), (a) Alfie Plant

0925 Darren Clarke, Gary Woodland (USA), (a) Harry Ellis

0936 Pat Perez (USA), Padraig Harrington, Thomas Pieters (Bel)

0947 Henrik Stenson (Swe), Si Woo Kim (Kor), Jordan Spieth (USA)

0958 Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Justin Thomas (USA)

1009 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Brooks Koepka (USA), Tommy Fleetwood

1020 J.B. Holmes (USA), Brandt Snedeker (USA), Shane Lowry

1031 Shaun Norris (Rsa), Richard Bland, (a) Luca Cianchetti (Ita)

1042 Yi-Keun Chang (Kor), Chan Kim (USA), Mark Foster

1053 Sung-hoon Kang (Kor), Tony Finau (USA), Matthieu Pavon (Fra)

1104 Alexander Bjork (Swe), Joseph Dean, Robert Streb (USA)

1115 Julian Suri (USA), Robert Dinwiddie, Adam Hodkinson

1136 Adam Hadwin (Can), Andrew Johnston, Todd Hamilton (USA)

1147 John Daly (USA), Adam Bland (Aus), (a) Connor Syme

1158 William McGirt (USA), Toby Tree, Jamie Lovemark (USA)

1209 Austin Connelly (Can), Matthew Griffin (Aus), Matthew Southgate

1220 Cameron Smith (Aus), Bill Haas (USA), Callum Shinkwin

1231 Brian Harman (USA), Michael Hendry (Nzl), Martin Laird

1242 Ross Fisher, Ernie Els (Rsa), Bernd Wiesberger (Aut)

1253 Tyrrell Hatton, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Aaron Baddeley (Aus)

1304 Jason Day (Aus), Zach Johnson (USA), Sergio Garcia (Spa)

1315 Andy Sullivan, Joost Luiten (Ned), David Lipsky (USA)

1326 Rickie Fowler (USA), Adam Scott (Aus), Paul Casey

1337 Matt Kuchar (USA), Richie Ramsay, Ryan Fox (Nzl)

1348 Charley Hoffman (USA), Kevin Kisner (USA), David Drysdale

1404 Hideto Tanihara (Jpn), Jimmy Walker (USA), Thorbjorn Olesen (Den)

1415 Jhonattan Vegas (Ven), Brandon Stone (Rsa), Sean O'Hair (USA)

1426 Pablo Larrazabal (Spa), Daniel Berger (USA), Yuta Ikeda (Jpn)

1437 Paul Lawrie, Kevin Chappell (USA), Yusaku Miyazato (Jpn)

1448 Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson (USA), Charl Schwartzel (Rsa)

1459 Jon Rahm (Spa), Patrick Reed (USA), Lee Westwood

1510 Phil Mickelson (USA), Francesco Molinari (Ita), Marc Leishman (Aus)

1521 Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa), Scott Hend (Aus), Bubba Watson (USA)

1532 Paul Waring, Kyle Stanley (USA), Kevin Na (USA)

1543 Xander Schauffele (USA), Gi-Whan Kim (Kor), Andrew Dodt (Aus)

1554 Haotong Li (Chn), Kent Bulle (USA), Haydn McCullen

1605 Jbe Kruger (Rsa), Nick McCarthy, Ashley Hall (Aus)

1616 Ryan McCarthy (Aus), Laurie Canter, Sebastian Munoz (Col)

Tee-off times - second round:​

0635 Adam Hadwin (Can), Andrew Johnston, Todd Hamilton (USA)

0646 John Daly (USA), Adam Bland (Aus), (a) Connor Syme

0657 William McGirt (USA), Toby Tree, Jamie Lovemark (USA)

0708 Austin Connelly (Can), Matthew Griffin (Aus), Matthew Southgate

0719 Cameron Smith (Aus), Bill Haas (USA), Callum Shinkwin

0730 Brian Harman (USA), Michael Hendry (Nzl), Martin Laird

0741 Ross Fisher, Ernie Els (Rsa), Bernd Wiesberger (Aut)

0752 Tyrrell Hatton, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Aaron Baddeley (Aus)

0803 Jason Day (Aus), Zach Johnson (USA), Sergio Garcia (Spa)

0814 Andy Sullivan, Joost Luiten (Ned), David Lipsky (USA)

0825 Rickie Fowler (USA), Adam Scott (Aus), Paul Casey

0836 Matt Kuchar (USA), Richie Ramsay, Ryan Fox (Nzl)

0847 Kevin Kisner (USA), Charley Hoffman (USA), David Drysdale

0903 Hideto Tanihara (Jpn), Jimmy Walker (USA), Thorbjorn Olesen (Den)

0914 Jhonattan Vegas (Ven), Brandon Stone (Rsa), Sean O'Hair (USA)

0925 Daniel Berger (USA), Pablo Larrazabal (Spa), Yuta Ikeda (Jpn)

0936 Kevin Chappell (USA), Paul Lawrie, Yusaku Miyazato (Jpn)

0947 Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson (USA), Charl Schwartzel (Rsa)

0958 Patrick Reed (USA), Jon Rahm (Spa), Lee Westwood

1009 Francesco Molinari (Ita), Phil Mickelson (USA), Marc Leishman (Aus)

1020 Scott Hend (Aus), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa), Bubba Watson (USA)

1031 Kyle Stanley (USA), Paul Waring, Kevin Na (USA)

1042 Gi-Whan Kim (Kor), Xander Schauffele (USA), Andrew Dodt (Aus)

1053 Haotong Li (Chn), Kent Bulle (USA), Haydn McCullen

1104 Jbe Kruger (Rsa), Nick McCarthy, Ashley Hall (Aus)

1115 Laurie Canter, Ryan McCarthy (Aus), Sebastian Munoz (Col)

1136 Chris Wood, Mark O'Meara (USA), Ryan Moore (USA)

1147 Phachara Khongwatmai (Tha), (a) Maverick McNealy (USA), Stuart Manley

1158 Stewart Cink (USA), Sandy Lyle, Jeunghun Wang (Kor)

1209 Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Paul Broadhurst, Roberto Castro (USA)

1220 Tom Lehman (USA), Byeong-Hun An (Kor), Darren Fichardt (Rsa)

1231 Billy Horschel (USA), Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Danny Willett

1242 Steve Stricker (USA), Matthew Fitzpatrick, Emiliano Grillo (Arg)

1253 Jason Dufner (USA), Branden Grace (Rsa), Bryson DeChambeau (USA)

1304 Russell Knox, Alex Noren (Swe), Ian Poulter

1315 David Duval (USA), Prayad Marksaeng (Tha), K.T. Kim (Kor)

1326 Young-Han Song (Kor), David Horsey, Dylan Frittelli (Rsa)

1337 Mike Lorenzo-Vera (Fra), Charles Howell III (USA), Shiv Kapur (Ind)

1348 Fabrizio Zanotti (Par), Russell Henley (USA), Peter Uihlein (USA)

1404 Brendan Steele (USA), Alexander Levy (Fra), Webb Simpson (USA)

1415 Wesley Bryan (USA), Anirban Lahiri (Ind), (a) Alfie Plant

1426 Gary Woodland (USA), Darren Clarke, (a) Harry Ellis

1437 Padraig Harrington, Pat Perez (USA), Thomas Pieters (Bel)

1448 Henrik Stenson (Swe), Si Woo Kim (Kor), Jordan Spieth (USA)

1459 Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Justin Rose, Justin Thomas (USA)

1510 Brooks Koepka (USA), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Tommy Fleetwood

1521 Brandt Snedeker (USA), J.B. Holmes (USA), Shane Lowry

1532 Richard Bland, Shaun Norris (Rsa), (a) Luca Cianchetti (Ita)

1543 Chan Kim (USA), Yi-Keun Chang (Kor), Mark Foster

1554 Sung-hoon Kang (Kor), Tony Finau (USA), Matthieu Pavon (Fra)

1605 Alexander Bjork (Swe), Joseph Dean, Robert Streb (USA)

1616 Robert Dinwiddie, Julian Suri (USA), Adam Hodkinson