Harrington grouped with Furyk and Ogilvy

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

TURNBERRY, Scotland (Reuters) - Irishman Padraig Harrington will launch his bid for a rare British Open hat-trick in the company of American Jim Furyk and Australian Geoff Ogilvy at Turnberry's Ailsa Course on Thursday.

Harrington, who won the Claret Jug for the first time at Carnoustie in 2007 before making a successful defense at Royal Birkdake last year, is scheduled to tee off at 9:20 a.m. EDT (1320 GMT).

The 37-year-old Irishman is seeking to become the first golfer to win a hat-trick of Open titles since Australian Peter Thomson achieved the feat with a run of three successive victories from 1954-56.

The biggest galleries of the week are likely to follow world number one Tiger Woods, who will play the first two rounds with Britain's Lee Westwood and Japanese teen sensation Ryo Ishikawa.

Woods, in pursuit of a 15th major crown this week, is set to start his bid for a fourth British Open title at 0909 on Thursday.

Although the American always attracts a huge following wherever he plays along with hordes of photographers, the 17-year-old Ishikawa is also a big drawcard as one of Japan's biggest sporting celebrities.

U.S. Masters champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina has been grouped with British world number three Paul Casey and Japan's Ryuji Imada. The trio will tee off at 1409 in the opening round.

Spanish world number five Sergio Garcia will play with eight-times major winner Tom Watson and British amateur champion Matteo Manassero of Italy while Australian Greg Norman, who won the 1986 British Open at Turnberry, has been drawn with American Kenny Perry and Britain's Oliver Wilson.

Other notable threesomes include 2002 champion Ernie Els, U.S. Open winner Lucas Glover and Germany's in-form Martin Kaymer; and young guns Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and American Anthony Kim, who will play in the company of double U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen of South Africa.

Britain's Paul Broadhurst, a six-times winner on the European Tour, is scheduled to hit the first shot of the 138th Open championship at 0630 on Thursday morning.

Turnberry, on the south-west coast of Scotland, is hosting the British Open for the fourth time.

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Justin Palmer)