Power and Lowry paired together at Irish Open

Seamus Power and Shane Lowry have been paired together for the opening round of the Irish Open at Mount Juliet on Thursday.

The Irish pair join six-time winner on the European Tour Tyrell Hatton in the most high profile group on the first day of play in Kilkenny.

Power comes into the tournament in perhaps the form on his life, haven risen to 36th in the world rankings with a 12th place finish at the US Open and a ninth place at the PGA Championship in the last month.

Lowry meanwhile is inside the top 25 in the world rankings and this will be his first tournament since a disappointing display at the US Open where he missed the cut.

Paul Dunne is the first Irishman out at Mount Juliet and he partners Scotland's David Law and South African George Coetzee in the 8:10am tee-time.

Jonathan Caldwell is out ten minutes later, while Mark Power tees-off at 8:30am alongside Sebastian Sodeberg of Sweden and Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond.

Padraig Harrington tees off at lunchtime and he'll be partnered by Lucas Herbert of Australia and Belgium's Thomas Pieters, while Cormac Sharvin is in the final group to tee-off. He goes at 2:30pm alongside Germany's Nicolai von Dellingshausen and Portuguese journeyman Ricardo Gouveia.

Watch the Horizon Irish Open live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player on Thursday and Friday from 1pm-6pm. Day 3 and 4 coverage on Saturday and Sunday from 1.10pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.