Barnet golfer Andrew Johnston will begin his Open Championship in a high-profile group alongside Graeme McDowell and Matt Kuchar on Thursday.

Johnston will tee off in the first round of his second Open, at Royal Troon, alongside the experienced pair at 1.15pm.

Plenty of media attention will be placed on the group, given the history of the two men Johnston is alongside.

McDowell is already a major winner and claimed the US Open in 2010, while his best Open came in a fifth-best finish in 2012.

Matt Kuchar finished ninth in the same year and has racked up seven PGA Tour wins in his career.

Johnston, better known as 'Beef', qualified for the tournament in mid-June thanks to his standing in the Race to Dubai standings, where he sat 18th at the time.

He picked up his first European Tour title in April, at the Open de Espana, in a remarkable year for the North Middlesex Golf Club member who first turned professional in 2011.