British Open 2019: How to watch, betting odds

July 17 (UPI) -- The 2019 British Open tees off Thursday at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. Here is how to watch and the betting favorites to win the tournament.

Northerland Ireland native Rory McIlroy is the betting favorite to win the tournament, according to the odds makers at MyTopSportsBooks.

The 2014 British Open champion has 17-2 odds of winning the major championship. McIlroy enters the tournament as the No. 3 golfer in the world. He finished tied for ninth at the U.S. Open after winning the RBC Canadian Open.

McIlroy also won the Players Championship in March.

Brooks Koepka is the No. 1 golfer in the world, but never has won the British Open. Koepka finished second at the Masters and won the PGA Championship. He is the second best bet to win the tournament, with 9-1 odds at lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush.

Dustin Johnson is the third best bet to win the Claret Jug, with 11-1 odds. He has never won the British Open, but finished second at the Masters and PGA Championship.

Masters champion Tiger Woods is the fourth best bet to win the British Open, with 17-1 odds. Woods is a three-time British Open champ, with his last title coming in 2006. He tees off alongside Patrick Reed and Matt Wallace in the first round at 10:10 a.m. EDT on Thursday.

Koepka tees off with Louis Oosthuizen and Shubhankar Sharma at 8:04 a.m. McIlroy tees off with Gary Woodland and Paul Casey at 5:09 a.m. Dustin Johnson tees off with Jason Day and Keegan Bradley at 9:59 a.m.

How to watch the first round

What: 2019 British Open

When: Thursday; First round broadcast, 1:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT; Early featured group, 4 a.m. to 9 a.m.; 3 hole channel, 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Late featured group, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland

TV: NBC Sports, Golf Channel

Streaming: GolfChannel.com, Golf Channel app, NBC Sports app, NBC Sports connected devices, TheOpen.com

Notable first round tee times (EDT)

Xander Schauffele, Henrik Stenson, Graeme McDowell, 4:14 a.m.

Francesco Molinari, Bryson DeChambeau, Adam Scott, 4:58 a.m.

Rory McIlroy, Gary Woodland, Paul Casey, 5:09 a.m.

Rickie Fowler, Kevin Kisner, Hideki Matsuyama, 5:20 a.m.

Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood, Thorbjorn Olesen, 7:53 a.m.

Brooks Koepka, Louis Oosthuizen, Shubhankar Sharma, 8:04 a.m.

Justin Rose, Tony Finau, Lucas Bjerregaard, 9:48 a.m.

Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Keegan Bradley, 9:59 a.m.