Scott recently said he craved a potential crowd-pleasing pairing with the world No.1 for the first 36 holes after they waged a final day shootout in the Australian Open last year.

But Scott is expected to have his hopes dashed on Friday when officials confirm they will follow the lead of the four majors - the US Masters, US and British Opens and US PGA - which have traditionally separated the pair early in the tournament.

McIlroy and Scott are likely to alternate between morning and afternoon tee times in the first two rounds as organisers seek to service broadcast and sponsor commitments.

"It's very tempting [to pair them together], but there are several considerations when pairing the strongest world-class players in the Emirates Australian Open field," said Golf Australia championship director Trevor Herden.

"It's for the exact reasons that the Masters, US and British Opens and the US PGA separated these two guys this season. Just like all the major championships do, we will spread out the superstars across the draw to ensure as many people as possible see them.

"Obviously spectators at the Australian [Golf Club] will want to see the stars as much as possible, but some might only have a morning free, some an afternoon - so on the first two days, to provide options for spectators, we will continue to give them that chance, regardless of when they come."

Herden said the prospect of wild weather was another consideration when splitting McIlroy and Scott, to allow host broadcaster Channel Seven to show highlights packages of one player even if the other was forced from the course during an afternoon round. Channel Seven will only show live coverage of the afternoon groups.

"Serious weather conditions can jeopardise your event – especially if they impact on a number of your strongest players," Herden said.

"And if a number of top players miss the 36-hole cut, the event could lose all the momentum it has generated. From a TV perspective, when we split the players to opposite sides of the draw, we guarantee two sessions of entertaining golf for the viewing public to focus on."

McIlroy and Scott drew huge galleries on the final day of last year's Australian Open as the Queenslander came within a hole of clinching Australia's Triple Crown.

He led by a stroke down the last, but made bogey after a wayward approach shot as the Northern Irishman sunk a 15-foot birdie putt to silence Scott's supporters.

The draw for next Thursday's opening round will be released on Tuesday.